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THE  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETINS 

NUMBER  II 

*  SCALES  FOR  THE 

MEASUREMENT  OF  ENGLISH 
COMPOSITIONS 


BY 


FRANK  WASHINGTON   BALLOU,  PH.D. 

DIRECTOR,  DEPARTMENT  OP  EDUCATIONAL  INVESTIGATION 
AND  MEASUREMENT,  BOSTON  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 


CAMBRIDGE,  MASS. 
PUBLISHED  BY  HARVARD  UNIVERSITY 

SEPTEMBER,  1914 


(b 


INTRODUCTION 

WHEN  educational  research  in  a  city  school  system  is  carried 
on  jointly  by  a  department  of  education  in  a  university  and  the 
school  authorities  of  that  city,  it  combines  two  purposes.  The 
department  of  education  engages  in  it  to  promote  the  scientific 
study  of  educational  problems  and  to  assist  in  their  solution.  Its 
purpose  is  larger  than  that  of  the  school  system  in  which  the  work 
is  done.  The  city  school  system  engages  in  such  work  chiefly 
to  improve  educational  conditions  and  practices  in  that  city. 
Such  educational  research  as  is  undertaken,  therefore,  should  be 
of  mutual  advantage  and  should  combine  both  purposes. 

The  method  of  carrying  on  such  research  should  be  coopera- 
tive. There  should  be  combined  and  applied  to  the  solution  of 
such  educational  problems  as  are  studied,  the  practical  knowl- 
edge which  teachers,  principals  and  other  school  workers  possess, 
and  the  educational  insight  and  exact  methods  of  investigation 
which  the  department  of  education  has  at  its  command.  To  be 
of  the  greatest  value  to  the  school  system  such  work  should  be 
participated  in  by  as  large  a  number  of  teachers  and  school 
officers  as  can  advantageously  be  used:  and  the  work  should 
never  be  allowed  to  become  a  burden  to  them.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  work  should  be  in  charge  of  a  responsible  head  con- 
nected with  the  department  of  education  who  should  apply  the 
available  resources  of  the  department  to  the  study  of  problems 
in  the  school  system.  Properly  qualified  graduate  students  can 
participate  with  advantage  and  profit  to  the  school  system  and  to 
themselves. 

In  the  prosecution  of  their  research,  much  purely  clerical  work 
is  inevitable.  This  should  not  be  done  by  the  teachers  or  those 
in  the  department  of  education,  but  by  competent  clerks. 

This  study  was  started  and  has  been  carried  on  in  accordance 
with  the  foregoing  principles.  The  study  has  been  directed  by 


4  ;  INf  REDUCTION 

the  Joseph  Lee  Fellow  for  Research  in  Education:  it  has  been 
participated  in  by  principals  and  teachers  in  Newton,  and  by 
properly  qualified  graduate  students  in  the  Division  of  Educa- 
tion, Harvard  University.  At  all  times,  the  work  has  had  the 
careful  supervision  of  members  of  the  Division  of  Education,  and 
of  Superintendent  F.  E.  Spaulding  of  Newton. 

At  the  close  of  a  piece  of  cooperative  research,  the  director 
always  finds  himself  under  many  obligations.  To  those  who  have 
participated  in  this  undertaking,  and  to  those  who  have  super- 
vised the  carrying  on  of  the  work,  the  writer  acknowledges  his 
indebtedness,  and  wishes  to  express  his  sincere  appreciation  of 
their  hearty  and  effective  assistance. 

FRANK  W.  BALLOU. 


THE 
HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETINS 

NUMBER  II 

SCALES  FOR  THE  MEASUREMENT  OF  ENGLISH 
COMPOSITIONS 

PURPOSE  AND   METHODS  OF  THIS  STUDY 
WHAT  THIS  MONOGRAPH  is 

AN  experiment  with  the  Hillegas  Scale  l  showed  that  the  use  of 
such  an  objective  measure  did  unify  the  grades  given  to  composi- 
tions by  teachers.  It  was  also  found,  however,  that  the  Hillegas 
Scale  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  teachers  of  Newton,  owing  to 
what  seemed  to  them  to  be  inherent  faults.  These  faults  may  be 
stated  briefly  as  follows:  (i)  the  scale  aims  to  measure  too  varied 
a  product;  (2)  the  compositions  in  it  are  not  typical  of  good 
school  work;  (a)  some  are  artificial,  (b)  others  are  "  bookish," 
really  reproductions,2  and  (c)  no  conversation  is  contained  in  any 
of  them.  Hence  it  was  proposed  to  prepare  another  scale,  or 
rather  a  series  of  scales,  in  such  a  way  as  to  obviate  these  apparent 
defects.  The  following  monograph  is  a  report  on  the  preparation 
of  such  a  series  of  scales.  These  scales  were  prepared  through  the 
cooperation  of  the  Joseph  Lee  Fellow  for  Research  in  Education, 
the  eighth  grade  teachers  and  the  elementary  school  principals  in 
the  public  schools  of  Newton,  assisted  by  the  teachers  of  English 

1  A  Scale  for  the  Measurement  of  Quality  in  English  Composition  by  Young 
People  —  M.  B.  Hillegas.     In  Teachers  College  Record,  September,  1912. 

2  As  an  experiment  we  prepared  a  scale  for  measuring  compositions  in  repro- 
duction written  by  eighth  grade  pupils.     After  careful  consideration  of  the  matter 
at  a  teachers'  meeting,  it  was  agreed  that  such  a  scale  ought  not  to  be  published. 
The  reasons  briefly  stated  are  as  follows:    i.   At  best  Reproduction  is  the  least 
desirable  form  of  composition.  2.   Reproduction  as  a  form  of  theme  writing  is  too 
often  characterized  by  a  slavish  repetition  of  words  or  of  ideas.  3.   The  publication 
of  a  standard  scale  is  likely  to  emphasize  this  undesirable  practice. 

5 


6  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

in  the  high  schools  of  Newton,  and  by  teachers  and  principals  in 
Arlington,  Massachusetts,  and  Boston.  The  teachers  and  prin- 
cipals in  Newton  secured  from  their  pupils  the  compositions  used 
in  the  experiment,  and  they  graded  and  ranked  each  set  of  com- 
positions. It  was  on  the  basis  of  their  composite  judgment  that 
the  compositions  were  selected  for  each  scale.  The  teachers  of 
English  in  the  high  schools  of  Newton  assisted  in  denning  the 
merits  and  defects  of  the  compositions  in  the  scales.  The 
eighth  grade  teachers  and  elementary  school  principals  in  Arling- 
ton, and  a  committee  of  similar  teachers  and  principals  in  Boston 
assisted  in  the  experiment  by  testing  the  use  of  the  description 
scale  after  it  had  been  finally  prepared.  Although  the  scales 
were  prepared  primarily  for  use  in  the  eighth  grade  in  the  Newton 
Schools,  they  are  published  in  order  that  whatever  worth  they 
possess  may  be  shared  with  teachers  elsewhere. 

THE  PURPOSE  or  THE  STUDY 

The  need  of  scales  and  similar  standards  as  objective  means  of 
measurement  in  education,  is  speedily  gaining  recognition  as  the 
present  insistent  demand  for  educational  efficiency  increases. 
The  successful  measurement  of  educational  efficiency  depends  on 
the  establishment  of  standards  of  measurement  in  all  depart- 
ments of  school  work.  The  need  of  standards  by  which  to  meas- 
ure the  class-room  work  of  pupils  has  been  shown  by  every 
investigator  who  has  examined  the  present  methods  of  rating  or 
grading  school  work.1  Every  such  investigation  has  shown  start- 
ling variations  in  the  grades  given  the  same  piece  of  work  by 
different  teachers.  Inasmuch  as  the  piece  of  work  graded  is  a 
constant  factor,  the  variation  must  be  in  the  teachers  who  do  the 
grading.  The  variation  may  be  due  to  the  lack  of  a  uniform  or 
common  standard  of  judgment,  or  to  the  varying  degrees  of 

1  For  example,  see  Starch  and  Elliott,  "  Reliability  of  the  Grading  of  High  School 
Work  in  English,"  School  Review,  Vol.  20,  pp.  442-457.  Also  "  Reliability  of 
Grading  Work  in  Mathematics,"  ibid.,  Vol.  21,  pp.  254-259.  Also  "  Reliability  of 
Grading  Work  in  History,"  ibid.,  Vol.  21,  pp.  676-681.  Also  Jacoby,  "  Notes  on 
the  Marking  System  in  the  Astronomical  Course  in  Columbia  University,  1909-10," 
Science,  Vol.  31,  p.  819. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  7 

accuracy  with  which  teachers  apply  a  common  standard.  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  progress  of  the  student  throughout  his 
whole  educational  career  is  contingent  on  his  having  earned 
acceptable  grades  from  each  successive  teacher,  it  is  clear  that 
the  importance  of  accurate  measurements  of  his  intellectual 
attainments  cannot  be  over-emphasized. 

It  is  to  create  an  objective  standard  for  the  measurement  of 
one  of  these  intellectual  attainments,  namely,  the  writing  of 
English,  that  the  preparation  of  this  series  of  scales  is  undertaken. 
By  the  wise  use  of  such  standards  it  is  hoped  that  teachers  may 
come  to  agree  more  uniformly  in  their  judgments  of  the  value  of 
an  English  composition  written  by  an  eighth  grade  pupil.  It 
may  be  reasonably  doubted  whether  it  will  ever  be  possible  for 
educators  to  measure  the  results  of  school  training  as  accurately 
as  laymen  measure  temperature  with  a  thermometer,  or  a  board 
with  a  square,  or  a  piece  of  carpeting  with  a  yard  stick.  Never- 
theless, objective  standards  should  serve  as  a  basis  for  the  exercise 
of  the  subjective  judgment,  and  until  objective  standards  of 
measurement  are  established  in  the  realm  of  educational  practice 
educational  progress  will  be  determined  as  heretofore,  by  mere 
opinion,  and  hence  cannot  be  based  on  scientifically  determined 
educational  facts. 

PRINCIPLES  ON  WHICH  THE  PREPARATION  AND  USE  OF  A 
SCALE  SHOULD  BE  BASED 

From  the  attempted  but  only  partially  successful  use  of  the 
Hillegas  Scale,  it  seemed  that  to  be  successfully  used  a  scale  for 
measuring  compositions  must  be  formed  and  applied  according  to 
the  following  general  principles. 

i.  A  scale  should  not  aim  to  measure  too  complex  a  product. 
To  attempt  to  measure  the  several  forms  or  types  of  English  com- 
position by  one  and  the  same  scale  is  like  trying  to  measure  heat, 
light  and  color  by  the  same  instrument.  To  measure  success- 
fully the  common  but  different  forms  of  English  composition 
written  by  any  given  group  of  pupils  we  need  as  many  different 
scales  as  there  are  different  forms  of  compositions.  This  study 


8  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

includes  the  preparation  of  scales  for  measuring  description, 
exposition,  argument,  and  narration. 

2.  A  scale  should  be  made  up  of  compositions  having  the  same 
characteristics  as  those  which  the  scale  is  intended  to  measure. 
The  qualities  of  a  composition  of  a  freshman  in  college  are  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  an  eighth  grade  pupil  although  each  student 
may  have  written  on  the  same  subject,  and  although  further  each 
composition  may  merit  the  same  grade.     Hence,  each  scale  in 
this  study  is  made  up  of  compositions  actually  written  by  eighth 
grade  pupils  and  is  intended  to  be  used  in  judging  the  quality  of 
compositions  of  eighth  grade  pupils.     It  is  possible  and  indeed 
probable,  that  these  scales  may  prove  almost  equally  serviceable 
in  the  seventh  grade  and  in  the  first  year  high  school. 

3.  A  scale  should  conform,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  the  present 
almost  universal  practice  of  rating  school  work  either  by  the  use 
of  letters  or  of  numerical  grades.     There  seems  to  be  little,  if  any, 
practical  need  of  a  scale  for  the  eighth  grade  which  shall  measure 
any  work  which  is  much  below  40%.     Hence,  each  of  the  follow- 
ing scales  contains  six  specimens  or  samples,  of  English  composi- 
tion graded  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  and  F,  and  representing  in  general l 
the  grades,  95%,  85%,  75%,  65%,  55%,  and  45%,  respectively. 

4.  The  readers  on  whose  combined  judgments  the  selections  of 
the  scale  is  based  should  be  those  persons  most  familiar  with  the 
qualities  of  the  compositions  to  be  measured  by  the  scale.     This 
is  essential  because  the  scale  must  find  acceptance  among  those 
who  use  it.     Accordingly,  the  scales  here  presented  were  selected 
on  the  basis  of  the  combined  judgments  of  eighth  grade  teachers 
and  such  others  as  supervise,  and  hence  are  familiar  with,  eighth 
grade  work  in  English  composition.     A  scale  which  has  been  ever 
so  scientifically  prepared,  but  which  does  not  carry  conviction  of 
the  possibility  of  its  usefulness  is  worthless  as  a  practical  instru- 
ment in  the  hands  of  the  teacher.     The  piling  up  of  numerous 

1  "  In  general,"  because  each  composition  in  the  scale  is  expected  to  form  the 
standard  for  measuring  all  compositions  which  fall  within  the  limits  of  that  ten 
per  cent  of  which  the  composition  in  the  scale  forms  the  center.  For  example,  the 
"  A  "  grade  composition  is  to  be  the  standard  for  measuring  all  compositions  which 
vary  in  quality  from  90%  to  100%. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  9 

judgments,  of  the  contents  of  which  nothing  is  definitely  known, 
does  not  appear  to  be  a  proper  basis  for  selecting  a  scale. 

5.  The  compositions  of  a  scale  must  be  analyzed  as  to  merits 
and  defects,  else  there  is  not  only  no  guarantee,  but  little  prob- 
ability, that  the  users  of  the  scale  will  interpret  the  qualities  of 
those  compositions  any  better  than  they  now  interpret  the 
qualities  of  compositions  without  the  use  of  any  objective  scale. 
Even  though  two  individuals  may  have  given  a  composition  the 
same  grade,  say  80%,  there  is  no  certainty  that  they  judged  the 
composition  on  the  same  qualities.     In  fact,  it  is  altogether  prob- 
able that  they  did  not  grade  it  on  the  same  elements  or  qualities, 
and  the  giving  of  the  same  grade  to  it  does  not,  by  any  means, 
indicate  uniformity  of  judgment.     Hence,  merit  must  be  defined, 
or  the  scale  remains  to  most  would-be  users  merely  a  series  of 
compositions  like  any  others.     This  definition  we  have  tried  to 
make.     The  same  teachers  who  marked  the  compositions  have 
defined  those  qualities  of  merit  and  defect  which  prompted  their 
ratings.     The  definition  of  the  qualities  of  merit  and  defect  have 
been  attached  to  each  composition  in  each  scale.     By  this  means 
each  teacher  who  uses  the  scale  will  know  what  the  readers  con- 
sidered the  merits  and  defects  of  each  composition.     Without 
such  a  definition  of  qualities,  there  is  no  certainty  that  the  user 
of  the  scale  will  see  in  each  composition  the  same  merits  and 
defects  that  the  reader  saw.     Unless  the  user  does  recognize  the 
same  merits  and  defects,  there  is  little  or  no  advantage  in  his 
comparing  a  set  of  compositions  to  be  graded  with  those  of  the 
scale :  he  might  as  well  compare  them  with  one  another. 

6.  Teachers  must  accept  a  scale  as  a  standard,  in  the  same 
sense  that  they  accept  other  standards.     If  one  judges  that  a 
piece  of  string  is  a  foot  long,  and  on  measuring  it  with  a  tape 
measure  finds  it  is  only  ten  inches,  he  accepts  the  correction  of  his 
own  subjective  judgment  as  indicated  by  the  standard  tape  meas- 
ure.    So  it  should  be  in  measuring  compositions.     If  a  scale  is  to 
become  a  real  standard,  it  must  be  accepted  as  such  and  used  in 
the  true  sense  of  a  standard.     Each  composition  in  the  scales 
which  have  been  prepared  has  been  selected  on  the  basis  of  the 


io  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

combined  judgment  of  a  group  of  well-qualified  readers.  The 
assumption  is  that  the  combined  judgment  of  a  group  is  more 
reliable  than  the  single  judgment  of  any  member  of  the  group. 
When  a  composition  is  to  be  graded  it  is  compared  with  the  scale, 
and  if  it  is  about  like  the  75%  composition  of  the  scale,  that 
should  be  the  grade  for  the  composition.  Unless  this  is  the  case, 
the  scale  cannot  be  called  a  standard  of  measurement. 

To  summarize:  we  have  prepared  a  series  of  four  scales  with 
which  to  measure  respectively  the  four  forms  of  composition- 
writing  of  eighth  grade  pupils,  namely,  description,  exposition, 
argument,  and  narration.  Each  scale  is  made  up  of  compositions 
having  the  same  characteristics  as  those  which  the  scale  is  in- 
tended to  measure.  The  compositions  in  the  scale  were  selected 
on  the  basis  of  grades  given  by  teachers  and  other  school  people 
familiar  with  what  eighth  grade  compositions  ought  to  be.  The 
compositions  in  the  scale  range  approximately  by  regular  degrees 
of  quality  from  the  very  best  which  pupils  of  the  eighth  grade  can 
write  to  one  about  as  poor  as  ought  to  be  found  in  eighth  grade 
work.  The  compositions  are  defined  as  to  merits  and  defects  by 
the  same  teachers  who  rated  them,  and  who  are  to  use  them. 
Although  a  scale  made  on  this  basis  seems  to  promise  much 
beyond  what  has  been  thus  far  attempted,  nevertheless,  its  real 
worth  will  have  to  be  determined  in  practical  use  in  the  school- 
room. 

SECURING  THE  COMPOSITIONS  FOR  THE  EXPERIMENT 
(a)  Obtaining  the  Compositions  from  Pupils 

The  compositions  used  in  this  study  were  written  by  eighth 
grade  pupils  in  the  schools  of  Newton,  Massachusetts,  as  a  part 
of  their  regular  school  work.  Several  topics  in  description, 
exposition,  argument,  and  narration  familiar  to  the  pupils,  were 
suggested  by  the  teachers  or  proposed  by  the  pupils,  and  each 
pupil  chose  his  subject.  Pupils  were  asked  to  write  a  com- 
position "  about  a  page  in  length,  —  not  over  two  pages."  They 
were  allowed  opportunity  within  school  time,  up  to  one  hour,  for 
self-preparation  for  the  writing,  and  another  hour  for  self-correc- 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  n 

tion  of  their  productions,  in  order  that  each  composition  written 
might  be  the  best  unaided  writing  of  which  each  pupil  was  ca- 
pable. By  obtaining  compositions  written  by  pupils  as  regular 
school  exercises  compositions  were  secured  which  are  characteris- 
tic of  the  work  of  eighth  grade  pupils  in  this  school  system. 

In  order  to  secure  compositions  representing  the  range  of 
quality  characteristic  of  the  work  of  eighth  grade  pupils,  and  at 
the  same  time  make  as  little  unnecessary  work  as  possible  for  the 
teachers  and  the  pupils,  a  selection  of  compositions  was  made  in 
the  following  manner.  The  eleven  schools  were  grouped  into 
five  groups  having  approximately  the  same  number  of  eighth 
grade  pupils  in  each  group.  The  first  and  fifth  groups  consisted 
of  one  school  each,  the  second,  third  and  fourth  of  three  schools 
each.  Each  of  these  five  groups  secured  from  its  pupils  and 
furnished  for  this  study,  specimens  of  a  given  type  of  composition: 
for  example,  group  one  furnished  narrations,  group  two,  argu- 
ments, and  so  forth.  Each  school  furnished  samples  to  the 
number  of  25%  of  its  entire  enrollment  in  the  eighth  grade. 
Each  class  teacher  was  asked  to  select  that  25%  of  the  composi- 
tions which  represented  progressively  all  degrees  of  ability, 
including  the  best  and  the  poorest.  After  the  compositions  had 
thus  been  selected  by  each  class  teacher,  they  were  numerically 
graded  by  the  eighth  grade  teachers l  in  the  school  and  the  prin- 
cipal independently. 

In  order  to  increase  the  chances  of  getting  compositions  of  suffi- 
ciently superior  quality  to  merit  the  highest  grade,  namely  "A" 
or  95%,  each  of  the  eleven  schools  in  which  there  were  eighth 
grade  pupils,  sent  in  from  one  to  three  of  its  "  best  "  compositions 
in  all  forms  of  writing  as  judged  by  the  eighth  grade  teacher  or 
by  teachers  and  the  principal. 

This  study  has  to  do  then  with  the  "  best "  compositions 
written  by  pupils  in  the  eighth  grade  in  all  the  schools  of  Newton, 
as  selected  by  the  teachers  and  principals,  and  a  selection  of 

1  In  two  cases  the  eighth  grade  teacher  taught  seventh  grade:  in  one  case, 
where  there  was  only  one  eighth  grade  teacher,  the  seventh  grade  teacher  was 
included  in  this  preliminary  grading. 


12  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

compositions  made  by  the  teachers  from  all  the  compositions 
written  by  all  the  eighth  grade  pupils,  in  a  school  or  groups  of 
schools,  such  selection  including  at  least  25  %  of  all  compositions 
and  also  made  with  a  view  of  securing  compositions  representing 
all  degrees  of  quality. 

The  number  of  "  bests  "  sent  in  each  of  the  series  averaged  one 
for  each  school,  and  the  number  of  others  ranged  from  twenty- 
two  to  twenty-six  samples.  Twenty-five  samples  in  each  series 
seemed  a  sufficient  number  to  be  read  and  graded  by  teachers 
as  a  basis  for  selecting  a  scale  of  six  compositions  representing 
the  grades  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  and  F.  From  the  teachers'  selections 
of  from  thirty  to  forty  compositions,  it  became  necessary  to 
select  the  twenty-five  to  make  up  the  set  to  be  read.  The  basis 
for  this  selection  was  the  preliminary  grades  given  each  composi- 
tion by  the  teachers  and  the  principals,  together  with  the  judg- 
ment of  the  director  of  the  experiment.  The  director's  judgment 
was  based  on  a  careful  reading  of  each  composition,  on  a  compar- 
ison of  the  ratings  given  the  compositions  by  the  different  readers, 
and  the  general  fitness  of  each  composition  for  a  place  in  the 
scale. 

Some  compositions  were  obviously  unfit  for  use  in  a  scale :  for 
example,  they  were  too  long  or  too  short:  of  course  such  were 
rejected.  On  the  above  mentioned  basis  those  compositions  were 
selected  for  final  readings  by  teachers  which  would  best  serve  the 
purpose  of  the  study,  and  which  were  typical  of  the  grades,  A,  B, 
etc.,  which  were  to  be  the  basis  of  the  scale.  The  twenty-five 
compositions  which  finally  made  up  the  set  from  which  a  scale 
was  to  be  selected  usually  included  about  ten  "  bests  "  and 
fifteen  others,  or  three  samples  each  of  the  representative  grades 
below  95  %. 

(b)  Preparing  Compositions  for  the  Readers 

To  prepare  the  compositions  for  readers,  each  composition  was 
reproduced  in  typewritten  and  mimeographed  form  exactly  as  it 
had  been  written  by  the  pupil.  Extreme  care  was  exercised  to 
reproduce  each  error  of  whatever  kind,  and  to  retain  all  the 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  13 

qualities  or  characteristics  of  the  original  composition.1  At  the 
head  of  each  composition  as  it  was  written  by  the  pupil  were,  the 
name,  the  age  in  years  and  months,  and  the  school  grade  of  the 
pupil,  together  with  the  name  of  the  school  and  the  date.  When 
the  compositions  were  mimeographed,  each  one  was  given  a 
number  and  all  the  above  marks  of  identification  were  omitted. 
By  removing  all  marks  of  identification,  each  composition  stood 
before  each  reader  on  exactly  the  same  basis,  and  the  chances 
were  increased  that  it  would  be  judged  according  to  its  inherent 
and  intrinsic  worth. 

(c)  Instructions  to  Readers 

After  the  twenty-five  compositions  of  each  type  had  been  thus 
prepared,  one  set  was  sent  to  each  of  the  fourteen  eighth  grade 
teachers,  and  to  each  of  ten  elementary  school  principals. 
Instructions  were  given  that  each  reader  was  to  grade  the 
compositions  wholly  independently. 

Here  are  the  instructions  for  grading  the  compositions : 

In  rating  it  is  suggested  that  the  following  procedure  be  uniformly 
adopted :  — 

(a)  Arrange  the  themes  in  a  series  in  the  order  of  their  merit. 

(b)  To  the  theme  considered  to  be  the  best  give  the  arbitrary  rating  of 

95%- 

(c)  Rate  each  of  the  remaining  themes  with  reference  to  this  standard, 
giving  it  a  percentage  value  and  entering  the  same  on  the  sheet  provided, 
both  under  "  No.  of  Theme  ",  and  "  Choice  of  Theme  ". 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  samples  are  eventually  to  serve  as 
standards  for  eighth  grade  themes:  it  is  important,  therefore,  in  rating  that 
all  other  considerations  be  set  aside  and  that  an  "  F  ",  for  example,  be  a 
reasonable  eighth  grade  "  F  ",  etc. 

Fixing  the  grade  of  the  best  composition  at  95  %  needs  explana- 
tion. It  was  the  feeling  of  those  who  organized  this  study  that 
95  %  rather  than  100  %  might  fairly  represent  the  highest  achieve- 
ment of  any  eighth  grade  pupil  in  writing  a  composition.  Fur- 
ther, it  also  seemed  desirable  that  each  reader  should  start  from 
the  same  numerical  starting  point  in  arranging  the  compositions. 

1  Obviously,  such  qualities  as  neatness,  legibility  of  handwriting,  etc.,  were 
eliminated. 


14  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

By  asking  each  reader  to  give  95  %  to  the  best  composition,  this 
desirable  end  would  be  secured.  No  lower  limit  was  fixed,  but 
the  Newton  readers  knew  that  compositions  worth  much  less  than 
about  40  %  were  not  to  be  furnished  by  schools  for  the  experiment. 
This  tended  to  fix  the  lower  limits  of  the  grading  around  40%. 
That  it  only  tended  to  do  so,  and  did  not  absolutely  do  so,  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  compositions  were  graded  as  low  as 
20%.  It  was  not  the  original  intention  to  fix  any  other  lower 
limit  than  the  usual  zero. 
The  following  is  the  form  of  rating  sheet: 

Ratings  of  Themes  in  Description 

For  convenience  in  handling  the  ratings,  readers  are  asked  to  enter  their 
results  in  two  columns:  first,  under  the  serial  number  of  the  theme  give  the 
rating,  and  second,  under  the  order  of  choice  give  both  number  and  rating, 
thus:  (i)  85%  and  (i)  18-95%. 

Number  of  Theme  Choice  of  Theme 

i 

2 

3 

Etc.  Etc. 

THE  DESCRIPTION  SCALE 
THE  COMPOSITIONS  USED 

Following  is  the  set  of  twenty-five  compositions  in  description 
used  in  this  experiment:  they  were  sent  to  the  readers  in  this 
form. 

i 

BELFAST,  MAINE 

The  little  town  of  Belfast  is  situated  on  the  Penobscot  Bay  in 
Maine.  Wishing  to  see  all  we  can  of  this  place  and  its  surround- 
ings we  will  climb  to  the  belfrey  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Our 
eyes  fall  first  on  the  water  which  sparkles  clear  and  blue  on  a 
summer's  day.  The  shore,  where  children  love  to  play  is  not  a 
white  sandy  beach,  but  one  of  rocks  and  ledges. 

Then  we  slowly  turn  our  eyes  to  the  town  itself.  They  rest 
upon  the  churches,  the  post  office  a  square  red  brick  building,  the 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  15 

lumber  mill  and  the  shoe  factory.  Farther  along  we  notice  the 
steamboat  wharf  with  one  of  the  Boston  boats  just  landing;  and 
way  over  the  other  end  of  the  town  is  a  Sardine  factory.  Off  in 
the  distance  stretch  the  green  fields  and  blue  hills.  This  surely 
is  an  ideal  place  to  spend  a  summer  vacation. 

2 
THE  POLEPHEMUS  CATERPILLAR 

There  are  three  different  kinds  of  Polephemus  caterpillars,  the 
one  that  I  am  going  to  describe  is  the  largest.  When  he  is  at  rest 
he  measures  three  inches  long,  and  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in 
diameter.  His  color  is  green,  and  he  has  seven  yellew  bands  up 
and  down  the  side.  At  a  distance  he  looks  like  a  leaf.  There  is 
another  line  on  the  underside  which  runs  from  his  head  to  his  tail. 
There  are  silver  spots  on  these  lines  which  sparkle  in  the  sun.  He 
has  the  largest  head  of  all  the  caterpillars  it  is  about  the  size  of  a 
persons  little  finger  nail.  He  has  two  pairs  of  powerful  jaws,  with 
which,  if  he  is  disturbed  he  will  make  a  little  click,  like  that  of  a 
watch.  Every  time  he  does  this  he  makes  gestures  with  his  ugly 
head  which  makes  him  look  quite  fierce.  His  neck  is  something 
like  some  kodaks  he  can  reach  way  forward  and  then  close  up 
again. 

He  has  four  pairs  of  prolegs  which  are  very  powerful.  There 
are  three  pairs  of  true  or  butterfly  legs  or  the  legs  near  his  head. 
His  eyes  are  in  two  groups  each  group  containing  five  eyes  at  the 
bottom  of  his  head  they  are  very  strong  for  an  insect.  With 
them  he  can  see  seven  or  eight  inches  ahead  of  him. 

Its  feet  have  little  have  little  hairs  on  them  which  enable  him  to 
get  a  strong  grip  on  a  leaf  or  twig.  All  of  this  description  I  have 
got  my-self  by  studying  them. 

3 
THE  BOY'S  CLUB 

In  the  town  of  Auburndale  part  of  Newton  is  where  club  is 
situated  to  get  there  from  the  square  you  walk  up  Auburn  Street 
till  you  get  to  the  third  street  on  the  right  this  is  Woodbine  Ter- 


16  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

race.  Our  club  is  in  the  second  hous  up  in  the  garret  it  is  a  new 
room  and  in  comparitivly  good  condition  as  you  enter  you  see  a 
book-case  &  a  chair  on  the  walls  ther  are  rows  of  picturs  in  the 
back  of  the  room  there  is  a  window  and  a  cot  on  the  right  side 
there  is  a  graphaphone  and  a  box  of  records. 

4 
THE  LIGHTHOUSE 

Twilight  was  falling  as  I  strolled  along  the  broad,  sandy  beach, 
now  and  then  stumbling  over  a  projecting  rock. 

Nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  dull  booming  of  the  breakers 
on  the  over-hanging  rocks  and  low  beach,  and  the  sad  call  of  the 
gulls  in  their  flight  home-ward. 

Something  in  the  atmosphere  told  me  a  storm  was  brewing. 
A  fog  was  gathering. 

The  rocks  grew  more  rough  and  jagged  as  I  advanced,  and  a 
tall,  gray  lighthouse  loomed  up  in  front  of  me,  high  above  the 
rest  of  the  scenery.  Its  great  revolving  light  cast  a  warning  ray 
across  the  angry  water. 

In  the  rear  of  this  tall  lighthouse  rose  a  forest  of  pines,  such  as 
are  found  all  along  the  Maine  coast.  Down  the  beach  a  little 
way  was  moored  a  large  row-boat.  On  the  right  lay  a  little  cove, 
like  a  haven  to  many  a  weary  sailor. 

As  the  fog  grew  heavier  the  lighthouse  looked  like  a  great 
guardian  angel  warning  the  sailors  that  dangerous  rocks  would 
wreck  their  vessels  if  they  came  too  near. 

5 
A  LIGHTHOUSE 

Right  near  my  house  there  is  a  very  high  sort  of  a  cliff.  On  the 
top  of  the  cliff  sets  this  very  large  lighthouse,  it  is  mad  of  bricks 
which  are  painted  white.  It  is  a  very  high  and  wide  one  com- 
pared with  most  of  the  lighthouse.  A  little  way  down  the  side 
cliff  they  have  made  some  kind  of  a  construction  to  blow  the  fog- 
horn. On  the  top  of  this  little  building  there  is  a  very  large  bell 
which  they  use  for  different  things.  In  back  of  the  light  there  is 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  17 

quite  a  good  sized  house  which  is  a  part  of  the  lighthouse.     In 
this  house  the  keeper  of  the  light  lives  and  his  family. 

6 
AN  EXCITING  FIRE 

"  Fire!  fire!  "  was  the  cry.  Everybody  was  hustling  and 
bustling  about  a  peaceful  country  town.  Fires  were  a  very 
uncommon  thing  in  that  vicinity  and  the  people  were  greatly 
aroused. 

Then  in  the  distance  the  faint  sounds  of  the  engines  were  heard. 
Louder  and  louder  it  grew  until  at  last  the  engines  were  seen. 

The  people  ran  and  the  boys  jumped  on  their  bycicles  for  they 
wanted  to  see  the  fire  before  it  was  out.  The  crowd  were  gather- 
ing about  a  hay  and  grain  barn. 

Then  as  the  fire  engines  sped  around  the  corner  the  great  hose 
was  hitched  to  the  hydrant.  The  firemen  worked  hard  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  hose  was  pouring  forth  all  its  contents  on  the 
blazing  barn. 

7 
A  CHRISTMAS  MORNING 

It  was  nine  o'clock  Christmas  morning  when  a  family  of  three 
children  and  their  parents  were  entering  the  room  where  the 
Christmas  tree  stood.  When  they  entered  there  were  many 
shouts  and  excited  faces.  The  tree  was  a  tall  one  which  reached 
to  the  ceiling  it  was  covered  with  many  glittering  ornaments. 
Underneath  the  tree  were  all  of  the  presents  which  were  to  be 
opened  one  at  a  time  by  the  merry  group.  There  were  many 
games  played. 

After  this  they  all  went  into  the  dining  room,  where  the  good 
smell  of  turkey  and  plum  pudding  existed. 

8 
THE  WOODS  IN  WINTER 

The  tiny  pool,  shaded  in  summer  by  thriving  young  birches, 
was  now  a  crystal  mirror.  The  rays  of  the  morning  sun  gleamed 


i8  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

through  the  bushes,  which  sparkled  like  millions  of  diamonds. 
Their  crust  of  ice  had  been  formed  in  the  night,  and  at  dawn,  the 
sun  rose  over  a  glistening  world,  for  every  twig  and  limb  shone  in 
a  coat  of  ice  or  snow. 

The  pines,  in  the  wood,  were  robed  in  white,  and  dazzled  in 
their  glittering  garments.  All  nature  gleamed  in  transparent 
whiteness,  for  the  earth  was  one  sparkling  gem. 

9 
THE  APPROACHING  TRAIN 

It  was  quiet  dark  when  the  people  were  around  the  depot 
waiting  for  the  next  train  to  come.  It  was  a  cold  and  windy 
night  for  the  people,  the  hackmen  ran  around  and  did  everything 
to  keep  warm. 

They  were  about  thirty-five  men,  and  about  fifteen  women, 
and  a  few  boys.  These  people  were  all  waiting  for  a  train  to  go 
home.  It  was  a  cold  night  for  the  boys  and  they  played  tag  to 
get  warm. 

The  men  and  boys  that  came  to  the  depot  to  get  the  papers  and 
bundles  had  to  hurry  home,  because  of  the  cold  weather,  just 
about  five  minutes  later,  I  heard  the  whistle.  The  bell  in  the 
depot  began  to  ring,  and  I  saw  the  saw  the  train  just  taking  the 
curve,  when  it  reached  to  the  depot,  all  the  people  were  glad  to  get 
in  and  get  warm,  and  the  baggage-master  gave  the  signal  to  start, 
and  the  train  started  off. 

10 
A  STORM  IN  A  FISHING  VILLAGE 

It  was  a  cold  damp  day  in  November.  The  sky  was  a  heavy 
leaden  color.  In  the  east  a  black  line  stretched  across  it  fore- 
telling the  coming  of  a  storm.  The  houses  across  the  way  were 
dismal  shadows,  —  flat,  cold,  heartless.  A  piercing  chill  pene- 
trated to  the  bone.  The  rattle  of  a  grocer's  cart  or  the  clatter  of  a 
horse's  hoofs  seemed  cold.  The  pedestrians  were  all  clothed  in 
black,  or  else  the  feeble  light  made  them  seem  so,  and  they  were 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  19 

cold  —  everything  was  cold,   cold,   cold.      An  awful  lonliness 
pervaded  all. 

The  black  line  in  the  east  had  grown  into  a  cloud  and  was 
coming  nearer,  nearer,  over  the  sea.  Suddenly  a  gust  of  wind 
shook  the  very  foundations  of  the  houses,  —  another,  and  then  a 
continuous  blowing.  The  howling  was  horrible.  Great  sheets  of 
foam  were  blown  into  the  streets,  —  here  and  there  a  piece  of 
wreckage  hurled  itself  against  a  cottage.  Fishermen's  wives 
hurried  down  the  narrow  streets  to  the  shore,  straining  their  eyes 
for  any  sign  of  a  wreck.  Old  seamen  looked  at  the  roaring  sea 
and  shook  their  heads. 

By  this  time  the  black  cloud  had  engulfed  the  sky.  The  day 
was  like  night,  although  it  was  not  yet  noon.  Boys  ran  about 
with  torches  which  were  immediately  extinguished,  and  the 
roaring  called  to  mind  the  last  day  at  Pompeii. 

Rain  had  begun  to  descend.  At  first  only  drops  fell  on  the 
hardened  faces  of  old  mariners,  and  on  the  pale  countenances  of 
wives,  mingling  with  the  drops  already  there.  But  soon  great 
sheets  fell,  forcing  the  people  indoors,  to  the  poor  shelter  afforded 
by  the  groaning  houses. 

For  about  an  hour  the  storm  continued  thus,  then  by  degrees 
the  wind  lessened,  though  the  rain  still  fell,  and  the  ocean  thun- 
dered. But  soon  the  rain  also  slowly  stopped  and  the  roaring 
ceased.  The  black  cloud  rolled  slowly  away,  leaving  the  tardy 
sun  to  shine  on  the  drenched  town  and  the  great  piles  of  wreckage 
on  the  shore. 

ii 
MY  FAVORITE  PET 

My  favorite  pet  is  a  horse  which  I  am  very  familiar  with.  He 
is  a  very  large  horse  with  a  large  chest.  It  is  very  old  and  his 
color  is  gray  and  white  but  mostly  white.  Its  teeth  are  very 
sharp  and  big.  His  main  is  cut  short  and  rounds  at  the  top.  His 
neck  is  long  and  very  broud.  He  has  little  black  spots  around 
his  neck  from  wearing  a  big  collar.  When  you  fool  with  him  he 
would  try  to  bite  you. 


20  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

His  tail  is  long  and  white  which  some  parts  are  gray.  Its  hoof 
is  very  hard  and  if  you  hit  it  with  a  hammar  you  could  not  hert 
him.  Its  legs  are  of  a  dapple  gray.  Around  which  the  shoe  goes. 
Its  mouth  it  is  very  black.  By  his  hoof  there  is  a  black  spot 
where  he  was  cut  by  a  barb  wire.  He  has  a  very  small  hoof  and 
his  heir  is  very  long  at  the  hoof. 

12 
A  COUNTRY  VILLAGE 

There  is  a  very  old  village  called  East  Foxboro.  Just  as  you 
get  of  the  train  the  first  thing  you  see  is  a  quiet  little  village  with 
railway  tracks  running  through  the  centre,  on  one  side  is  a  large 
depot  as  large  a  city  depot.  Just  beside  that  is  a  small  store  and 
post-office  all  in  one.  Joined  on  to  that  is  a  barn.  On  the  other 
side  is  a  freight-house  with  running  to  it.  In  back  of  that  is  a 
dry-good,  newspaper,  candy,  tonic,  and  postcard  store.  Not  far 
from  that  is  a  pump  and  wooden  box  in  which  the  water  falls  for 
horses.  Nearby  is  a  shed  in  which  gasoline,  oil  and  kerosene  is 
sold.  Just  across  the  well  worn  road  is  a  signal  station  which  is 
largely  used  but  very  old. 

13 

GRANDMOTHER 

In  front  of  the  open  fire  place  in  a  large  armchair  there  sits  our 
old  Granny.  She  is  old  and  feeble.  Her  hair  is  snow-white  and 
over  her  head  a  little  white  cap  is  carefully  tied.  Her  face  is  full 
of  wrinkles  and  her  keen  blue  eyes  sparkle  through  a  pair  of 
glasses  which  she  has  on  her  nose. 

She  has  a  shawl  thrown  over  her  shoulders  and  she  also  wears 
a  thick  black  skirt.  On  her  feet  can  be  seen  a  pair  of  soft  slippers 
which  she  prizes  very  much  because  they  were  given  her  for  a 
Christmas  present. 

As  you  know  Grannies  always  like  to  be  busy  our  Granny  is 
busy  knitting  gloves.  Her  hands  go  to  and  fro.  She  will  keep 
on  working  until  her  knitting  is  done.  Now  that  it  is  done  she 
carefully  folds  her  work  and  packs  it  into  her  work-basket. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  21 

Then  she  trots  upstairs  to  bed  and  oh,  how  lonesome  it  is  when 
our  dear  Granny  is  gone  from  the  room. 

14 
THE  DISCRIPTION  OF  A  PLACE  IN  MAINE 

As  we  stand  in  the  door  of  the  log  cabin  and  directly  across  a 
lake  which  is  about  fifty  yards  away  from  the  front  of  the  log 
cabin  we  see  some  of  the  woods  of  Maine,  and  as  we  look  a  little 
to  the  left  of  the  lake  Squaw  mountain  may  be  seen.  On  clear 
days  the  top  of  the  mountain  can  be  seen  and  sometimes  the  Old 
Squaw's  face  can  be  seen  (it  is  of  stone).  On  rainy  days  only  the 
outline  of  the  lake  can  be  seen,  and  sometimes  it  is  so  very  foggy 
that  the  lake  can  hardly  be  seen  from  the  door  of  the  of  the 
cabin.  Sometimes  a  deer  can  be  seen  very  early  in  the  morning. 


THE  VIEW  FROM  MX.  WASHINGTON 

The  clouds  parted,  and,  far  below  us,  the  country  was  bathed  ) 
in  sunshine.     Everything  was  very  small.     The  Mt.  Washington 
hotel  looked  like  a  cottage,  though  it  was  the  largest  building  for 
miles  around. 

Here  and  there,  small  farm  houses  dotted  the  landscape. 
Occasionally  a  river,  or  stream,  wound  its  way,  like  a  blue  thread, 
through  the  green  meadows.  In  the  meadows  nearest  us,  small 
black  specks  could  be  seen.  With  the  aid  of  field  glasses,  the 
specks  proved  to  be  horses  and  cows. 

The  roads  looked  like  yellow  threads,  along  which,  black 
specks  moved.  Looking  from  the  other  side  of  the  mountain,  the 
railroad  which  came  up  the  mountain,  could  be  followed. 

Other  mountain  tops  surrounded  us  on  all  sides.  There  was 
one  valley,  that  was  so  completely  surrounded  by  mountains, 
that  there  seemed  no  way  to  leave  it. 

The  whole  country  was  clothed  in  green,  while  the  sky  was 
blue,  with  fleecy  clouds  floating  lazily  across  it.  Clouds  of 
smoke,  showed  here  and  there  against  the  green  hills.  Sud- 
denly the  clouds  came  to-gether,  and,  we  saw  no  more. 


22  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

16 
A  PICTURE 

On  the  wall  in  the  front  of  the  schoolroom  hangs  a  large  picture, 
with  a  frame  of  dark  wood.  The  name,  I  am  not  sure  of. 

In  the  background  is  a  dense  forest  with  an  opening  at  the  left 
hand  corner,  where,  far  away  in  the  distance,  can  be  seen  the 
beautiful  tinted  sky.  The  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  and  in 
the  foreground  a  few  trees  and  boulders  are  scattered  here  and 
there. 

The  centre  of  attraction  is  the  number  of  Puritan  people  walk- 
ing in  the  opening.  Some  men  carry  guns  in  defense  from  the 
Indians.  Many  small  children  are  by  their  mother's  side,  and 
most  all  carry  a  Bible. 

The  men  are  dressed  in  brown  doublets,  wearing  short,  knee 
length  trousers,  with  leggings  and  brown  leather  boots,  stiff 
white  collars  and  cuffs,  gray  hats,  with  high  crowns  and  wide 
brims,  carrying  guns  across  their  shoulders. 

The  women  wears  capes  with  attached  hoods,  some  green, 
white  and  yellow.  Some  wear  the  black  bonnets  with  a  white 
band  on  the  edge.  In  the  right  hand  corner  more  men  are  coming 
along. 

From  this  description  I  should  name  this  characteristic  picture, 
"  Puritans  on  their  way  to  church." 

17 
FLANDERS  LAKE 

There!  see  ?  the  blue  lake  just  at  the  end  of  the  path,  and 
there  's  the  big  ledge  on  which  there  are  so  many  comfortable 
nicks  and  crannies  to  sit  in.  Way  across  this  lake  is  Sckoodic, 
grand  old  mountain,  with  the  little  camps  scattered  about  at  it's 
feet. 

Come,  let 's  sit  down  and  rest.  Here  and  there  rocky  points 
jut  out  into  the  lake  terminating  in  massive  boulders.  Between 
these  points  are  beautiful  stretches  of  coarse  sand  that  glisten 
like  so  many  jewels  and  particles  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  sun. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  23 

Groves  of  young  birches  growing  close  to  the  water's  edge  are 
dotted  here  and  there  with  small  pines  and  spruce.  Back  of  these 
birches  is  a  veritable  forest  of  pines,  spruce,  balsam,  and  other 
varieties  of  evergreen  which  rend  the  air  fragrant  with  their 
soothing  odor. 

But  see,  it  is  getting  dark  and  we  had  better  start  our  walk 
home  through  these  fragrant  woods  for  even  the  busy  king-fisher 
has  stopped  his  rattle. 

18 

AN  OLD-FASHIONED  FARMHOUSE 

On  a  dusty  country  road  in  Concord,  which  is  not  far  from  here, 
there  stands  an  old-fashioned  farmhouse.  The  roof  slopes  down 
to  the  porch  over  which  a  honeysuckle  vine  grows.  The  clap- 
boards are  stained  and  weatherbeaten.  The  windows  are  small 
and  have  small  panes  in  them.  On  them  are  queer,  old- 
fashioned  shutters. 

At  one  side  of  the  house  there  is  an  old-fashioned  barn  which 
appears  to  be  large  and  airy  but  is  much  in  need  of  repair.  Some 
of  the  windows  are  broken  and  are  filled  with  hay,  and  the  doors 
after  many  years  of  hard  service  are  partly  off  their  hinges.  The 
once  gilded  weather-cock  has  changed  its  gilt  to  rust. 

When  one  thinks  of  the  house  and  barn  to-gether  it  reminds 
them  of  the  comforts  of  the  old  days. 


A  SILENT  STRANGER 

All  is  still  on  the  lake  ?  Oh  no!  A  fish  leaps  out  of  the  dark 
water  his  scales  glissning  in  the  moonlight.  All  is  still  in  the 
forest  behind  ?  —  No!  —  A  rabbit  jumps  out  of  the  ferns  on  the 
bank,  stares  a  moment,  then  leaps  into  the  bushes. 

Ah!  —  What  is  that  so  silent  in  the  shade  over  there  ?  A  tall 
youth  clad  in  buckskin  with  fringe  on  his  shirt  and  leggings,  a 
buff  alow  horn  on  one  side  and  a  buckskin  pouch  on  the  other  held 
on  by  a  leatheron  thongs  over  his  broad  shoulders,  broader  than 
eny  I  had  ever  seen  before,  a  skilfully  decorated  sheath  in  which 


24  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

was  a  sharp  knife  fastened  to  a  buckskin  band  around  his  waist. 
Held  carelessly  in  his  arms  was  a  long-barroled  rifle.  He  was 
sturdy,  strong  and  fearless,  deeply  tanned,  with  black  eyes  so 
sharp  that  they  could  pearce  the  darkness  of  the  forest. 

I  looked  away  for  a  moment.  When  my  gaze  was  again 
directed  on  the  spot  where  I  had  seen  the  silent  stranger  he  dis- 
sipeared.  Heavy  as  he  was  not  a  twig  snaped  or  a  leaf  rustle 
beneath  his  feet. 

About  fifteen  munites  after  when  I  was  looking  along  the  shore 
I  saw  a  canoe  glide  silently  out  on  the  lake  headed  for  the  other 
shore.  In  that  canoe  was  the  silent  stranger  who  had  so  mysteri- 
ously disiapeared.  Not  a  sound  came  from  his  paddle  as  the 
canoe  sped  swiftly  along. 

20 
AN  OLD  SCHOOL  HOUSE 

It  was  a  low  studied  old  School-house,  which  stood  on  the 
country  road  between  Wissing  and  Eustace,  New  York.  Win- 
dowless  and  partially  roofless  it  stood,  as  though  it  had  nary  a 
friend  with  the  exception  of  the  cold  winter  air,  as  it  leaped 
boldly  through  the  bare  cracks  in  the  side  of  the  structure.  The 
door,  which  was  nearly  hidden  from  view,  was  swinging  solemnly 
back  and  forth  on  two  rusty  hinges.  Really  it  was  only  one,  as 
the  other  was  merely  a  piece  of  worn-out  iron,  which  dangled 
loosely  in  the  draft  of  the  swaying  door.  The  old  wooden  desks 
could  no  more  be  called  varnished,  as  the  dust,  and  the  numerous 
inks  tains  on  them,  hid  all  signs  of  it  from  observation.  Yet,  by 
the  various  initials  which  were  carved  on  the  wood-work,  it  was 
very  evident  that  at  one  time  it  was  not  forsaken.  The  old 
clock  on  the  wall  was  motionless,  and  the  hands  which  had  once 
explained  the  time,  no  longer  looked  like  hands,  but  like  little 
ink  spots  across  the  forlorn  face.  Then  there  were  the  black- 
boards, covered  with  pictures  of  every  description,  with  the 
scribbled  signatures  of  teachers,  written  rudely  under  them. 
The  old  text  books  with  no  covers  lay  stranded  on  the  wornout 
floor,  and  the  stove,  which  once  had  been  used  for  warmth,  stood 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  25 

idely  on  top  of  the  old  rug  which  had,  long  years  ago,  served  for  a 
carpet. 

Such  was  the  appearance  of  the  first  country  schoolhouse  I 
ever  was  in. 

21 
A  MANSION 

As  you  look  across  the  road  you  will  first  see  a  long  private 
avenue  or  walk. 

It  is  in  the  summer,  and  on  each  side  of  this  long  walk  are  some 
beautiful,  stately  elms.  They  are  hundreds  of  years  old  and  they 
have  done  their  duty  for  as  many  years,  shading  the  walk  from 
the  noon  sun. 

Cross  the  road  and  you  will  see  if  you  look  up  the  avenue,  a 
beautiful  mansion.  It  is  a  colonial  house  and  four  large  pillars 
are  upholding  the  roof.  A  piazza  runs  along  three  sides  of  the 
house. 

Near  the  house  is  a  tennis  court  where  for  years  the  occupants 
of  the  mansion  have  passed  many  an  hour. 

Let  us  enter  the  mansion.  It  is  a  beautiful  cool  place,  although 
dark.  As  we  enter  we  see  large  psalms  on  each  side  of  the 
entrance.  On  the  floors  are  old  oriental  rugs  which  have  been 
handed  down -for  generations.  In  the  parlor  is  a  harp,  and  on  the 
walls  are  the  portraits  of  the  ancestors.  In  all,  it  is  a  beautiful 
place. 

22 
THE  LAKE  AT  SUNRISE 

In  the  Mountains  of  Pennsylvania  there  is  a  little  lake. 

On  one  side  of  the  lake  is  a  boat  landing,  at  which  a  dozen  or 
more  boats  are  tied  up.  On  this  boat  landing  one  may  stand  and 
look  up  the  lake,  at  sunrise,  and  see  the  sun  peeping  up  over  the 
top  of  the  mountains  and  shinning  on  the  water.  Than  a  King 
Fisher  flies  down  the  lake  making  his  cheerful  noise,  instantly,  all 
the  other  birds  begin  to  chirp  as  if  their  life  depended  on  it. 

Looking  across  the  lake  one  would  see  numerous  wells  and 
coves  backed  up  by  woods  from  which  comes  the  chirp  of  the 


26  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

birds.  Hearing  the  explosions  of  cylinders  we  look  to  see  where 
in  comes  from  and  find  a  pumphouse  that  keeps  the  lake  supplied 
with  water. 

Looking  down  the  lake  over  the  dam  to  the  ice  house  with  the 
roof  sparkling  with.  On  the  roof  of  the  house  a  hawk  is  sitting 
adding  his  clear  whistles  to  noise  of  other  birds. 

Looking  around  to  the  woods,  at  our  back,  with  an  old  oil  well 
in  front  of  them.  The  birds  flying  from  the  woods  in  flocks,  and 
far  away  from  the  hills  comes  the  sound  of  the  of  Italians  singing. 

23 
A  LIGHT  HOUSE 

A  description  of  a  light  house  is  quite  interesting. 

First  a  light  house  is  generally  situated  on  a  mass  of  rocks  in 
the  ocean  or  on  some  great  lake.  And  then  to  get  into  a  light 
house  is  a  question.  Some  times  you  have  to  climb  to  the  top 
on  a  steal  ladder,  and  again  you  only  have  to  go  half  way  up  and 
you  find  sort  of  a  steal  porch  which  is  very  strong  with  a  door  in 
the  side  of  the  light  house.  On  the  very  top  of  the  light  there  is 
generally  two  or  three  life  boats  in  case  of  accident.  In  side  there 
is  ah  enormous  light  which  flashes  every  two  minutes  and  some- 
times more  often  it  depends  holy  on  the  weather.  The  man 
himself  has  very  favorable  sleeping  quarter  and  food  it  is  a  very 
lonely  life  except  when  you  have  a  man  with  you.  Sometimes 
they  play  cards  all  day  long  until  it  is  time  to  fix  the  lights  and 
then  they  are  very  busy. 

24 

A  SMASH-UP 

It  was  early  one  morning  last  spring,  when  an  auto  belonging 
to  Harry  Atwood  coming  from  New  York,  run  into  a  car  at 
Auburn  St.  The  auto  was  going  at  a  good  rate  when  it  struck 
the  car.  When  the  auto  struck  the  car  it  made  a  hole  in  the  side 
of  the  car. 

His  auto  was  a  red  one  and  on  each  side  it  had  his  name  in 
black  letters  Harry  Atwood.  The  lights  were  broken  and  the 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  27 

mud  guard  were  too.  The  front  of  the  auto  was  jamed.  It  was 
a  auto  that  would  seat  four  people.  With  a  cover  to  keep  the 
rain  out.  There  was  marks  where  they  had  pushed  the  auto  off 
the  track.  That  afternoon  it  was  carried  away. 

25 
A  SCENE  ON  THE  PRAIRIE 

Along  a  large  plain  in  the  west  w^th  mountains  on  all  sides. 
The  sun  was  just  sinking  behind  the  mountains.  Some  trappers 
were  on  the  plain  just  about  to  get  their  supper.  They  had  one 
tend  because  there  was  just  three  of  them.  Beside  their  tent 
tripled  a  little  spring.  After  the  three  trappers  had  eating  there 
supper  they  sat  down  by  the  fire  because  it  had  growing  dark. 
All  of  a  sudden  a  bunch  of  Indain's  came  riding  up.  When  they 
came  near  they  fired  of  their  guns  and  disappered  in  the  darkness 
and  the  trappers  turned  into  camp  leaving  one  a  the  trappers  on 
gaurd. 


28  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

THE  TABULATION  OF  RESULTS  OF  READINGS 
(a)  THE  GRADE  BASIS 

When  the  readers  made  their  reports  showing  the  grades  which 
they  had  given  each  composition  these  grades  were  summarized 
in  the  following  table. 

Table  I  shows  the  grade  that  each  of  the  twenty-four  readers 
gave  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in  description. 

TABLE  I 

Number  of  the  Composition 
£«    /     23     4     s     ^     7     8     g    10   ii   12   13  14  15   16  17   18  19  20  21   22  23  24  25 


75  80  40  90  50  77  65  83  48  95  50  55  86  45  88  70  76  73  78  85  76  47  45  30  20 

72  75  42  75  60  63  53  90  55  95  47  62  82  58  92  85  75  70  68  80  75  65  57  52  45 
83  64  50  87  52  65 '55  79  60  95  40  45  85  78  91  75  89  72  71  92  54  70  59  44  48 

82  90  30  90  60  80  70  92  45  95  45  60  88  40  92  92  90  80  82  78  75  75  45  42  40 
90  88  50  91  73  80  73  95  7o  95  55  75  85  70  93  80  85  90  75  88  75  65  58  60  45 

75  85  45  85  55  75  60  70  75  90  65  65  95  45  85  85  85  80  90  80  80  65  65  45  55 

83  78  40  63  60  75  75  80  59  95  50  60  75  52  90  80  82  79  78  85  78  73  58  61  52 

73  80  45  85  60  60  55  90  60  95  50  60  85  50  90  80  70  75  70  80  80  60  65  50  55 
83  85  40  70  50  55  65  60  50  95  40  60  75  40  90  70  63  73  92  87  80  77  60  40  40 
85  80  40  75  65  50  60  70  50  95  40  60  75  55  90  70  70  75  90  90  78  75  60  45  40 
83  84  50  90  68  80  70  93  65  95  58  73  87  65  83  77  81  87  78  85  80  75  65  60  50 
80  70  45  85  65  65  58  88  45  95  50  6°  90  60  93  68  78  80  75  85  70  53  45  55  45 
83  82  40  94  78  88  80  84  68  95  50  75  90  65  93  91  92  87  81  85  89  86  74  73  45 
95  88  50  85  70  78  70  95  60  95  50  65  80  75  90  80  88  90  85  88  80  70  55  58  45 
92  85  45  86  58  76  74  92  60  95  45  70  85  58  86  69  83  74  78  70  73  7i  45  55  45 
90  78  40  88  58  50  72  52  40  95  46  42  71  40  92  75  72  60  80  73  74  65  45  42  42 
90  82  40  83  58  64  60  78  63  95  55  45  93  65  94  70  80  75  84  85  85  68  50  50  40 

76  74  43  90  60  70  66  86  58  95  45  53  79  63  93  91  87  84  80  72  82  50  56  46  40 
92  89  45  93  70  75  47  93  60  95  57  67  92  48  83  86  88  78  85  85  78  71  65  52  62 
68  70  40  75  58  62  65  70  52  95  48  55  85  50  88  72  72  74  90  80  66  65  60  45  42 

82  80  45  79  75  72  40  93  65  91  60  68  89  50  95  85  80  88  60  90  80  77  55  40  48 

74  72  40  86  60  68  60  80  52  95  45  60  75  60  80  73  85  75  78  84  73  63  60  50  50 
78  82  39  84  55  63  62  93  45  95  49  6l  82  55  89  80  93  73  80  78  71  62  40  38  44 

83  79  40  93  53  69  70  70  42  95  49  42  80  45  90  73  80  66  83  79  75  So  42  42  40 


This  table  shows  that  reader  No.  i  gave  composition  No.  i,  75  %: 
composition  No.  2,  80%:  composition  No.  3,  40%,  and  so  on. 
By  following  the  vertical  column  of  figures  under  any  given  com- 
position (e.  g.  No.  i)  one  can  see  the  variety  of  grades  given  that 

1  For  obvious  reasons,  each  reader  was  given  a  number.  This  number  the 
reader  retained  throughout  this  investigation.  A  reader  may  find  out  what  his 
number  was  by  addressing  the  author  of  this  monograph. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  29 

composition.     To  facilitate  such  an  observation,  the  following 
table  has  been  prepared. 

Table  II  shows  the  grades  given  each  composition  in  descrip- 
tion arranged  in  a  descending  order  without  designating  the 
readers  who  gave  them. 

TABLE  n 

Number  of  the  Composition 

i  a  34  5  6  7  8  Q  10  n  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  IQ  20  21  22  23  24  2$ 

95  oo  50  94  78  88  80  95  75  95  65  75  95  ?6  95  92  93  9O  92  92  89  86  74  73  62 

92  89  50  93  75  80  75  95  7o  95  60  75  93  75  94  9*  92  90  90  90  85  77  65  61  55 

92  88  50  93  73  80  74  93  68  95  58  73  92  70  93  91  90  88  90  90  82  77  65  60  55 

9o  88  50  91  70  80  73  93  65  95  57  70  90  65  93  86  89  87  90  88  80  75  65  60  52 

90  85  45  90  70  78  72  93  65  95  55  68  90  65  93  85  88  87  85  88  80  75  65  58  50 

90  85  45  90  68  77  70  93  63  95  55  67  89  65  93  85  88  84  85  87  80  75  60  55  SO 

85  85  45  90  65  76  70  92  60  95  50  65  88  63  02  85  87  80  84  85  80  73  60  55  48 

83  84  45  90  60  75  70  92  60  95  50  65  87  60  92  80  85  80  83  85  80  71  60  52  48 

83  82  45  88  60  75  70  90  60  95  50  62  86  60  92  80  85  80  82  85  80  71  60  52  45 

83  82  45  87  60  75  66  90  60  95  50  61  85  58  91  80  85  79  81  85  78  70  59  50  45 

83  82  43  86  60  72  65  88  60  95  50  60  85  58  90  80  83  78  80  85  78  70  58  50  45 

83  80  42  86  60  70  65  86  59  95  50  60  85  55  90  80  82  75  80  85  78  68  58  50  45 

83  80  40  85  60  69  65  84  58  95  49  60  85  55  90  77  81  75  80  85  76  65  57  46  45 

82  80  40  85  60  68  62  83  55  95  49  60  85  52  90  75  80  75  78  84  75  65  56  45  45 

82  80  40  85  58  68  60  80  52  95  48  60  82  50  90  75  80  75  78  80  75  65  55  45  44 

80  79  40  85  58  65  60  80  52  95  47  60  82  50  90  73  80  74  ?8  80  75  65  55  45  42 

78  78  40  84  58  65  60  79  50  95  46  60  80  50  89  73  78  74  ?8  80  75  65  50  44  42 

76  78  40  83  58  64  60  78  50  95  45  55  80  48  88  72  76  73  78  80  74  63  45  42  40 

75  75  40  79  55  63  58  70  48  95  45  55  79  45  88  70  75  73  75  79  73  62  45  42  40 

75  74  40  75  55  62  55  70  45  95  45  53  75  45  86  70  72  73  75  ?8  73  60  45  42  40 

74  72  40  75  53  60  55  70  45  95  45  45  75  45  85  70  72  72  71  ?8  71  53  45  40  40 

73  70  40  75  52  55  53  70  45  95  40  45  75  40  83  70  70  70  70  73  70  50  45  40  40 

72  70  39  70  50  50  47  60  42  91  40  42  75  40  83  69  70  66  68  72  66  50  42  38  40 

68  64  30  63  50  50  40  52  40  90  40  42  71  40  80  68  63  60  60  70  54  47  40  30  20 

This  table  shows  how  each  composition  was  treated  by  all 
twenty-four  of  the  readers.  Under  the  number  of  the  composi- 
tion at  the  head  of  each  column  is  given  the  various  grades  which 
that  composition  received.  For  example,  composition  No.  i 
was  graded  95%  by  one  reader:  92%  by  two  readers:  90%  by 
three  readers,  and  so  on.  The  highest  grade  given  composition 
No.  i  was  95%,  and  the  lowest  68%. 

Table  III  gives  (a)  the  highest  grade,  (b)  the  lowest  grade, 
(c)  the  maximum  variation,  (d)  the  mean  or  average  grade,  and 
(e)  the  median  grade,  for  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in 
description. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


It  will  be  recalled  that  each  reader  was  instructed  (a)  to 
select  the  best  composition  and  arbitrarily  give  it  a  grade  of  95  %, 
and  (b)  to  arrange  the  remaining  compositions  in  the  set  in  a 
descending  order  of  merit.  The  purpose  of  the  direction  was  to 
make  each  reader  start  from  the  same  numerical  starting  point. 
In  view  of  these  instructions,  and  also  in  view  of  the  fact  that  by 
grading  each  composition  the  reader  also  necessarily  had  to  ar- 

TABLE  III 


Composition 
Number 

Highest 
Grade 

Lowest 
Grade 

Maximum 
Variation 

Mean  or  Average 
Grade 

Median  1 
Grade 

I 

95 

68 

27 

91.9 

83.0 

2 

QO 

64 

26 

8o.O 

8o.O 

3 

50 

30 

2O 

42-7 

41.0 

4 

94 

63 

31 

84.3 

85.5 

5 

78 

SO 

28 

6i.x 

6o.O 

6 

88 

50 

38 

69.4 

69-5 

7 

80 

40 

40 

63-5 

65.0 

8 

95 

52 

43 

82.3 

85.0 

9 

75 

40 

35 

56.1 

58.5 

10 

95 

90 

5 

94-5 

95-o 

ii 

65 

40 

25 

49-5 

49-5 

12 

75 

42 

33 

59-9 

60.0 

13 

95 

71 

24 

83-7 

85-0 

14 

76 

40 

36 

55-4 

53-5 

15 

95 

80 

IS 

89.6 

90.0 

16 

92 

68 

24 

78.2 

78.5 

17 

93 

63 

30 

81.0 

8i.S 

18 

90 

60 

30 

79-9 

75-o 

iQ 

92 

60 

32      ' 

79.6 

80.0 

20 

92 

70 

22 

82.7 

85.0 

21 

89 

54 

35 

76.1 

77.0 

22 

86 

47 

39 

66.6 

66.5 

23 

74 

40 

34 

55-4 

57-5 

24 

73 

30 

43 

48.9 

48.0 

25 

62 

20 

42 

44-9 

45-o 

1  "  Median  grade  "  is  the  grade  in  the  series  of  grades  above  which  and  below 
which  there  is  an  equal  number  of  grades. 

For  the  definition  of  statistical  terms  used,  and  the  methods  of  computation,  see 
Thorndike,  Mental  and  Social  Measurements,  The  Science  Press,  New  York, 
Whipple,  Manual  of  Mental  and  Physical  Tests,  Warwick  &  York,  Inc.,  Baltimore. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  31 

range  them  in  an  order  of  merit,  it  is  possible,  in  considering  the 
results,  to  use  not  only  the  grade  basis  but  also  the  rank  basis  for 
selection.  From  the  grades  given  in  Table  II,  we  have  computed 
the  maximum  variation,  and  the  mean  or  average  grade  and  the 
median  grade  as  shown  in  Table  III.  As  a  further  basis  for 
selecting  the  compositions  for  the  scale,  and  as  a  check  on  the 
above  items,  we  have  also  computed  the  same  items  on  the  basis 
of  the  ranking  of  each  composition,  i.  e.,  on  the  basis  of  the 
relative  position  of  each  composition  among  the  twenty-five 
specimens  in  the  set. 

(6)  THE  RANK  BASIS 

Each  reader  was  directed  to  select  the  best  composition  and 
arbitrarily  to  give  it  a  grade  of  95%.  Since  each  of  the  twenty- 
four  readers  did  so,  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  they  gave  equally  care- 
ful attention  to  the  second  direction,  to  arrange  the  other  com- 
positions in  the  order  of  their  relative  merit  from  95%  down. 
There  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  readers  were  either  more  or  less 
careful  about  the  intrinsic  or  inherent  worth  of  the  compositions 
as  represented  by  the  grades  given  them  than  they  were  about  the 
relative  merits  of  compositions  as  indicated  by  their  relative 
ranks.  The  result  of  the  ranking  of  the  twenty-five  compositions 
by  the  twenty-four  readers  is  given  in  the  following  table. 

Table  IV  shows  the  ranking  of  each  composition  in  description 
by  each  reader. 

This  table  shows  that  reader  No.  i  selected  composition  No.  to 
as  first  in  rank,  composition  No.  4  as  second,  composition  No.  15 
as  third,  and  so  on.  Reading  the  table  from  top  to  bottom,  one 
finds  in  each  column  the  different  compositions  that  have  been 
assigned  any  given  rank.  For  example,  composition  No.  10,  is 
first  choice  of  twenty-one  out  of  twenty-four  readers.  Reader 
No.  6,  selected  composition  No.  13  as  first  in  rank,  and  reader 
No.  14  selected  composition  No.  8  as  first,  and  reader  No.  21 
selected  composition  No.  15  as  first. 

In  order  to  show  still  more  clearly  the  significance  of  the 
material  in  this  table,  each  composition  has  been  dealt  with  by 


32  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


•8-1 

6  8 

3 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

TABLE  IV 

Choice  in  Rank 

IO  II  12  13  14 

15 

17 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

z 

10 

4 

IS 

13 

20 

8 

2 

19 

6 

21 

17 

i 

18 

16 

7 

12 

S 

II 

9 

22 

14 

23 

3 

24 

25 

2 

10 

IS 

8 

16 

13 

20 

2 

4 

i? 

21 

I 

18 

19 

22 

6 

12 

S 

14 

23 

9 

7 

24 

ii 

25 

3 

3 

10 

20 

IS 

17 

4 

13 

Z 

8 

14 

16 

18 

19 

22 

6 

2 

9 

23 

7 

21 

5 

3 

25 

12 

24 

ii 

4 

10 

IS 

16 

8 

17 

2 

4 

13 

19 

Z 

6 

18 

2O 

21 

22 

7 

S 

12 

II 

23 

9 

24 

25 

14 

3 

S 

10 

8 

15 

4 

18 

I 

2 

20 

17 

13 

6 

16 

19 

12 

21 

S 

7 

9 

14 

22 

24 

23 

II 

3 

25 

6 

13 

19 

10 

4 

IS 

17 

16 

2 

18 

20 

21 

z 

6 

9 

8 

ii 

12 

22 

23 

7 

5 

25 

3 

14 

24 

7 

IO 

IS 

20 

i 

17 

16 

8 

18 

21 

2 

19 

13 

6 

7 

22 

4 

24 

12 

5 

9 

23 

14 

25 

II 

3 

8 

IO 

IS 

8 

4 

13 

20 

2 

16 

21 

18 

I 

19 

17 

23 

22 

12 

6 

9 

5 

25 

17 

II 

24 

14 

3 

9 

IO 

19 

IS 

20 

2 

I 

21 

22 

13 

18 

4 

16 

7 

17 

8 

23 

12 

6 

5 

9 

25 

24 

14 

II 

3 

10 

10 

20 

19 

IS 

Z 

2 

21 

22 

18 

13 

4 

17 

16 

8 

s 

7 

23 

12 

14 

6 

9 

24 

3 

II 

25 

iz 

10 

8 

4 

13 

18 

20 

2 

Z 

IS 

17 

6 

21 

19 

16 

22 

12 

7 

5 

14 

23 

9 

24 

25 

II 

3 

12 

10 

15 

13 

8 

20 

4 

Z 

18 

17 

19 

2 

21 

16 

6 

S 

14 

12 

7 

24 

22 

ii 

9 

23 

25 

3 

13 

IO 

4 

15 

17 

16 

13 

21 

6 

18 

22 

20 

8 

I 

2 

19 

7 

5 

12 

23 

24 

9 

14 

Ii 

25 

3 

14 

8 

i 

10 

IS 

18 

2 

17 

20 

4 

19 

13 

16 

21 

6 

14 

S 

7 

22 

12 

9 

24 

23 

3 

II 

25 

IS 

10 

I 

8 

4 

IS 

2 

13 

17 

19 

6 

7 

18 

21 

22 

12 

20 

16 

9 

14 

5 

24 

II 

23 

25 

3 

16 

10 

IS 

z 

4 

19 

2 

16 

21 

20 

7 

17 

13 

22 

18 

5 

8 

6 

II 

23 

24 

12 

25 

9 

14 

3 

17 

10 

IS 

13 

i 

20 

21 

19 

4 

2 

17 

8 

18 

16 

22 

U 

6 

9 

7 

S 

ii 

24 

23 

12 

25 

3 

18 

IO 

IS 

16 

4 

17 

8 

18 

21 

19 

13 

Z 

2 

20 

6 

7 

14 

S 

9 

23 

12 

22 

24 

II 

3 

25 

19 

IO 

4 

z 

8 

13 

2 

17 

16 

19 

IS 

20 

18 

21 

6 

22 

5 

12 

23 

25 

9 

II 

24 

14 

7 

3 

20 

IO 

19 

15 

13 

20 

4 

18 

17 

16 

2 

8 

z 

21 

22 

7 

6 

23 

S 

12 

9 

I4 

II 

24 

25 

3 

21 

15 

8 

10 

20 

13 

z8 

16 

z 

2 

17 

21 

4 

22 

5 

6 

12 

9 

ii 

19 

23 

14 

25 

3 

7 

24 

22 

10 

4 

17 

20 

IS 

8 

19 

18 

13 

i 

21 

16 

2 

6 

22 

S 

12 

7 

23 

14 

9 

24 

25 

ii 

3 

23 

IO 

8 

17 

IS 

4 

2 

13 

16 

19 

20 

Z 

18 

21 

16 

7 

22 

12 

5 

14 

ii 

9 

25 

23 

3 

24 

34 

10 

4 

IS 

I 

19 

13 

17 

20 

2 

21 

16 

8 

7 

6 

18 

5 

22 

ii 

14 

24 

12 

9 

23 

25 

3 

itself.  If  one  had  table  IV  before  him  and  were  asked  how  the 
readers  ranked  composition  No.  i  he  could  see  by  consulting  the 
table,  that  reader:  — 

No.  i  ranked  composition  No.  i,  i2th 

No.  2  ranked  the  same  composition  nth 

No.  3       "  «       «  «  7th 

No.  4  "       "  "  ioth 

No.  5       "  "       «  "  6th 

No.  6      "  «       «  «  i2th 

No.  7      «  «       "  "  4th,  and  so  on. 

To  show  these  facts  about  each  composition  in  the  most  conven- 
ient form  a  distribution  was  prepared  for  each  composition  show- 
ing the  rank  given  that  composition  by  each  of  the  twenty-four 
readers.  Here  is  such  a  distribution  for  composition  No.  i. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  33 

COMPOSITION  NO.  i 
Rank 

i  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  Q  10  ii  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  IQ  20  21  22  23  24  25 


23 

24  ............  18  20 

15  19  17  ..   9  12  21  ..  22   8  6 

14  16   7  10  5  3  ii  ..   4   2  i  13 


The  series  of  numbers  at  the  top  ranging  from  one  to  twenty- 
five,  represents  the  possible  ranks,  any  one  of  which  this  composi- 
tion might  have  been  assigned  by  the  readers.  The  figures  near 
the  bottom  are  the  numbers  of  the  readers  giving  composition 
No.  i  the  ranks  indicated.  For  example,  composition  No.  i 
was  ranked  second  by  readers  Nos.  14  and  15;  it  was  ranked 
third  by  readers  Nos.  16  and  19;  it  was  ranked  fourth  by  readers 
Nos.  7, 17,  and  24,  and  so  on.  Similar  distributions  were  prepared 
for  each  composition,  but  space  does  not  permit  of  their  intro- 
duction in  this  monograph.  They  may  be  prepared  from  Table 
IV  by  anyone  interested. 

These  distributions  show  that  readers  agreed  well  as  to  the 
rank  of  some  compositions,  while  in  other  cases  the  greatest  dif- 
ference in  judgment  prevails.  For  example,  composition  No.  10 
is  ranked  first  by  twenty-one  out  of  twenty-four  readers,  and  one 
of  these  three  gave  it  the  highest  grade,  viz.  95  %.  In  the  case  of 
composition  No.  8,  there  seems  to  be  little  agreement.  One 
reader  ranks  it  as  high  as  ist,  while  one  ranks  it  as  low  as  i6th:  the 
remaining  readers  are  scattered  between  these  two  extremes,  with 
a  group  of  four  readers  ranking  it  in  second  place.  Obviously,  a 
scattering  distribution  means  a  wide  diversity  of  judgments  in 
ranking,  and  conversely,  a  heaping  up  of  the  figures  under  a  few 
ranks  means  a  greater  unanimity  of  judgments  among  readers. 
The  following  table  shows  a  summary  of  the  distribution  for  each 
composition. 

Table  V  shows  the  distribution  of  the  ranks  given  each  com- 
position in  description.  Compositions  are  arranged  in  serial 
order  according  to  the  "  Median  Ranks,"  beginning  with  Median 
Rank  I. 


34 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


Comp. 
No. 

TABLE  V 

Rank 
Median 

10 
IS 
4 
8 
13 
20 

2 

I 
17 
19 

18 
16 

21 

6 

22 
7 

5 

12 

23 
14 
9 
II 
24 
25 
« 

I.O 

3-0 
4-5 
6.0 
6.0 
6.0 
7-0 
7-5 
8.0 
9-0 
g.o 
9-5 

II.O 

14.0 
iS-o 
16.5 
17.0 
17.0 
I9-S 
I9-S 

2O.O 
22.0 
22.0 
23-5 
2S.O 

I     8     7      3     •?                         II. 

2I3433I2                       2                       I 

.    31.2.215              23.1...!.. 

2 

..2111331                 43           ..'     I  !'..".. 

1322           325           I.      ..I.. 

II              3.2              2221.       I. 
2.               .-3              6II2.3I 
1.2           4334.12 

.      i     3     i     6     3     I     L 

\     4     • 
I      2      4 
Z      I       . 
546l 

I      22.1613 

I           124166 

I           4122 

I       .       5      3      I« 

Not  only  is  there  great  diversity  of  judgments  among  readers, 
but  there  are  cases  where  some  readers  seem  to  be  extremely 
radical  in  their  judgment  of  a  composition  on  which  other  readers 
agree.  For  example,  one  reader  ranks  composition  No.  4,  i6th, 
while  most  of  the  other  readers  rank  it  from  8th  to  Qth,  to  2d  or 
3d.  Several  readers  seem  likewise  to  be  radical  or  extreme  in 
their  judgment  of  the  rank  of  composition  No.  7.  In  view  of 
these  observations  we  were  led  to  adopt  a  method  of  segregating 
that  25%  of  the  readers  who  were  radical  or  extreme  in  their 
ranking.  The  lines  were  drawn  in  the  distributions  so  as  to  cut 
off  the  25%  or  less  of  the  readers  who  were  considered  extreme. 
The  maximum  variation,  both  of  the  whole  series  and  of  the 
central  75%  of  the  cases,  has  also  been  computed  for  each  com- 
position. The  following  table  shows  these  statistical  facts. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


35 


Table  VI  shows  (a)  the  highest  rank,  (b)  the  lowest  rank,  (c)  the 
maximum  variation  in  rank  of  the  series,  (d)  the  maximum  varia- 
tion of  75  %  of  the  cases,  (e)  the  median  rank,  (/)  the  average 
deviation  for  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in  description. 


TABLE  VI 


Composition 
Number 

Highest 
Rank 

Lowest 
Rank 

Maximum 
Variation  in 
Series 

Maximum 
Variation  of 
75%  of  Cases 

Median 
Rank 

Average 
Deviation 

I 

2 

13 

II 

8 

7-5 

3-17 

2 

5 

15 

10 

4 

7.0 

2.17 

3 

21 

25 

4 

2 

25-0 

•71 

4 

2 

16 

14 

6 

4-5 

2.83 

5 

14 

21 

7 

5 

17.0 

1.46 

6 

8 

20 

12 

6 

14.0 

2.00 

7 

IO 

24 

14 

7 

16.5 

2.67 

8 

I 

16 

IS 

10 

6.0 

4.04 

9 

14 

23 

9 

4 

20.0 

I.S8 

10 

I 

3 

2 

0 

I.O 

•25 

ii 

16 

25 

9 

S 

22.O 

2.08 

12 

14 

23 

9 

4 

17.0 

I.7I 

13 

i 

12 

ii 

7 

6.0 

2.50 

14 

9 

24 

IS 

6 

19-5 

2-75 

15 

i 

10 

9 

3 

3-0 

i-33 

16 

3 

17 

14 

7 

9-5 

3-25 

17 

3 

14 

ii 

7 

8.0 

2.58 

18 

5 

15 

IO 

6 

9-5 

2.46 

19 

2 

19 

17 

8 

9.0 

3-25 

20 

2 

16 

14 

7 

6.0 

3-oo 

21 

6 

19 

13 

6 

II.O 

2.38 

22 

8 

21 

13 

7 

15.0 

2.46 

23 

14 

23 

9 

4 

!9-5 

2.00 

24 

17 

25 

8 

4 

22.0 

1.38 

25 

19 

25 

6 

3 

23-5 

I.2Q 

36  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

SELECTING  THE  SCALE 
(a)  THE  BASIS 

In  the  preceding  pages,  the  following  statistical  information 
has  been  worked  out  as  a  basis  for  selecting  the  six  compositions 
for  the  proposed  scale: 

A.  From  the  grades  given  each  composition  by  the  twenty-four 
readers. 

(a)  The  maximum  variation  in  grades. 

(b)  The  mean  or  average  grade. 

(c)  The  median  grade. 

B.  From  the  rank  or  relative  position  assigned  each  composi- 
tion by  the  twenty-four  readers. 

(a)  The  maximum  variation  of  the  whole  series. 

(b)  The  extreme  variation  of  75%  of  the  most  central  cases. 

(c)  The  median  rank. 

(d)  The  average  deviation. 

(b)  FIXING  STANDARD  REQUIREMENTS 

Before  selecting  the  scale  on  the  basis  of  this  information  it  is 
necessary  to  answer  these  questions.  What  are  the  standard  or 
ideal  requirements  for  each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  pro- 
posed scale  in  terms  of  the  suggested  basis  of  selection  ?  What 
ought  the  maximum  variation,  the  mean,  and  the  median  to  be, 
according  to  the  grade  basis  of  selection  ?  What  ought  the  two 
maximum  variations,  the  median  rank,  and  the  average  deviation 
to  be,  according  to  the  rank  basis  of  selection  ?  We  shall  now 
proceed  to  answer  these  questions,  so  far  as  we  can. 

MAXIMUM  VARIATIONS  AND  AVERAGE  DEVIATIONS 

Large  maximum  variation,  in  either  the  grades  or  ranks, 
indicates  great  diversity  of  judgment  among  the  readers,  and 
conversely  small  maximum  variation  indicates  better  agreement 
in  judgment  among  readers.  The  former  has  been  shown  in  the 
case  of  composition  No.  8,  and  the  latter  in  the  case  of  composi- 
tion No.  10  (See  p.  34).  Obviously,  although  no  definite  fixed 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  37 

standard  for  variations  can  be  established  for  any  of  the  six 
compositions  of  the  proposed  scale,  it  will  be  agreed  that,  other 
things  being  equal,  that  composition  is  most  suitable  for  a  place 
in  the  scale  about  which  there  is  greatest  agreement  in  judgment 
both  in  grade  and  rank,  as  shown  by  a  small  maximum  variation 
and  a  small  average  deviation. 

THE  MEAN,  OR  AVERAGE  GRADE 

The  standard  requirements  of  the  mean  or  average  grade  for 
each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  scale  is  not  difficult  to  deter- 
mine. Our  object  in  this  whole  study  is  to  secure  a  scale  of  six 
compositions  which  shall  be  as  nearly  as  possible,  typical,  95  %, 
85%,  75%.  65%,  55%,  and  45%  compositions.  Since  our 
ultimate  object  is  expressed  in  these  figures,  the  six  compositions 
selected  ought  to  have  a  mean  or  average  grade  of  95%,  85%, 
75  %>  65%>  55  %,  and  45%  respectively. 

THE  MEDIAN  GRADE 

\Vhat  has  been  said  about  the  mean  or  average  grade  applies 
also  to  the  median  grade.  The  six  compositions  for  the  scale 
should  have  respectively  a  median  grade  of  95  %,  85  %,  75  %,  65  %, 
55%,  and  45%. 

THE  MEDIAN  RANK 

The  standard  requirements  for  the  median  rank  require  some 
explanation.  It  is  important  that  the  six  compositions  of  the 
scale  should  be  approximately  the  same  distance  apart  in  rank. 
A  difference  of  10%  divides  them  in  grades:  how  many  points  in 
rank  should  divide  them  ?  There  are  twenty-five  ranks,  to  any 
one  of  which  a  composition  may  be  assigned  by  any  reader.  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  there  are  to  be  six  compositions  in  the  scale, 
there  must  necessarily  be  five  spaces  or  steps  in  the  series.  The 
problem  then,  is  to  divide  the  total  points  in  rank  between  the 
first  and  last  compositions  in  the  series  into  five  equal  divisions 
so  that  the  six  compositions  selected  for  the  scale  will  be  equidis- 
tant one  from  the  other. 


38  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

It  is  obvious  that  beginning  with  the  A  or  95  %  composition, 
that  composition  should  have  a  median  rank  of  i.o.  Deducting 
this  one  from  the  twenty-five  ranks,  the  total  number,  we  have 
twenty-four  points  of  rank  remaining  to  be  divided  into  five  equal 
divisions.  This  gives  4.8  points  in  rank  for  each  of  the  spaces 
between  compositions.  By  adding  this  amount  4.8,  to  i.o,  the 
median  rank  of  the  A  or  95%  composition,  we  have  5.8,  the 
median  rank  of  the  B  or  85  %  composition  of  the  scale.  By  add- 
ing 4.8  to  each  succeeding  median  rank  we  find  the  following 
median  rank  for  each  of  the  six  compositions. 

Median  Rank 

A  or  95  %  composition i.o 

B  or  85  %           "          5.8 

C  or  75  %                      10.6 

Dor  65%                      15.4 

E  or  55  %                      20.2 

F  or  45  %                      .  . . 25.0 

Because  the  ranks  in  the  graphs  are  given  only  in  whole  num- 
bers or  in  whole  numbers  and  halves,  it  is  clear  that  the  decimals 
in  the  above  median  rank  numbers  cannot  be  exactly  obtained. 
However,  the  median  rank  for  each  of  the  compositions  in  the 
scale  should  be  as  near  the  above  standard  median  ranks  as 
possible. 

SUMMARY 

From  the  above  discussion,  we  may  summarize  the  standard 
requirements  for  each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  proposed 
scale.  As  has  been  already  stated,  there  is  no  fixed  standard 
requirement  in  the  case  of  maximum  variations,  or  average 
deviation,  either  in  grade  or  in  rank.  The  only  principle  to  fol- 
low is  this :  the  narrower  the  maximum  variation  the  better. 

The  other  items  are  summarized  as  follows: 

Grade  or  Rank  of  Mean  or  Median  Median 

Composition  in  Scale  Average  Grade  Rank 

A  Grade  or  95  % 95  %  95  %  i.o 

B  Grade  or  85% 85%  85%  5.8 

C  Grade  or  75  % 75  %  75  %  10.6 

D  Grade  or  65  % 65  %  65  %  15.4 

E  Grade  or  55  % 55  %  55  %  20.2 

F  Grade  or  45  % 45  %  45  %  25.0 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  39 

(c)  MAKING  THE  SELECTION 

The  first  step  in  the  selection  of  the  six  compositions  to  con- 
stitute the  scale  was  to  classify  the  twenty-five  compositions  into 
six  groups  corresponding  to  the  six  grades  or  ranks  of  composi- 
tions in  the  proposed  scale.  Each  composition  was  placed  in 
that  group  with  which  it  was  most  closely  identified  according  to 
the  several  statistical  items  in  the  table.  Such  a  classification 
results  as  follows: 

In  general  Composition  Nos. 

A  group  of  compositions  (All  from  90%  up)  10-15. 


B 

C  " 

D  « 

E  « 

F  « 


(  "  80  to  89%)  1-2-4-8-13-17-19-20. 

(  a  a  70  a  79%)  16-18-21. 

(  «  a  60  «  69%)          5-6-7-12-22. 

(  «  «  50  a  59%)          9-14-23. 

(  "  "  40  "  49%)  3-11-24-25. 


Having  thus  classified  the  twenty-five  compositions,  the  next 
step  was  to  select  the  one  from  each  group  which  was  shown  by  the 
standard  requirements  to  be  most  suitable  for  the  scale.  Begin- 
ning with  the  A  or  95  %  composition,  we  shall  consider  each  group 
in  order.  In  tabular  form  are  given  the  numbers  of  the  composi- 
tions which  are  to  be  considered  for  that  particular  place  in  the 
scale,  together  with  all  the  statistical  data  pertaining  to  each 
composition.  Preceding  the  table  in  each  case  are  given  the  stan- 
dard requirements  for  the  composition  as  worked  out  in  the 
preceding  pages.  Following  the  table  is  the  discussion  leading 
to  the  selection  of  the  most  satisfactory  composition. 

"  A  "  GRADE  OR  95  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  average  grade 95  % 

Median  grade 95  % 

Median  rank..  .  i.o 


40  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

TABLE  VII 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (6)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or  aver- 
age grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (K)  The  lowest 
rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (;')  The  maximum  variation 
in  rank  of  75%  of  the  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank;  and  (/)  Average  de- 
viation. 

abed          e         f         g  h          i     j        k          I 

10 *    95      90        5      94.6      95       ist        3d        2       o       i.o        .25 
15      95       80       15       89.6      90       ist       loth      9      3      3.0       1.33 

It  is  not  difficult  to  select  the  better  of  these  two  compositions. 
No  reader  felt  that  composition  No.  10  was  lower  than  90%  in 
grade,  or  than  3d  in  rank,  whereas  No.  15  was  graded  as  low  as 
80%,  and  ranked  as  low  as  loth  among  the  twenty-five  composi- 
tions. The  extreme  variations  are  therefore,  greater  in  the 
case  of  composition  No.  15.  Obviously  No.  10  was  considered  by 
the  readers  to  be  more  nearly  the  best  composition,  hence  it  is 
selected  as  the  "A"  grade  or  95%  composition  in  the  scale. 
No.  15  is  too  good  a  composition  to  be  considered  for  the  next 
composition  in  the  scale,  hence  it  has  to  be  dropped  from  further 
consideration. 

"  B  "  GRADE  OR  85  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 85  % 

Median  Grade 85  % 

Median  Rank 5.8 

From  the  table  below,  one  sees  at  once  that,  judged  by  these 
statistical  items,  several  of  these  compositions  are  not  really 
competitors  for  the  second  place  in  the  scale.  Nos.  i  and  2  are 
too  poor,  i.  e.,  they  are  graded  and  ranked  too  low.  No.  4  has  in 
its  favor  the  mean  and  median  grades  of  84.3%  and  85.5% 
respectively,  but  it  has  a  wide  extreme  variation  in  both  grade 
and  rank.  Also,  its  median  rank  is  only  4.5,  whereas  our  require- 

1  Selected  for  composition  No.  i  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  41 

TABLE  VIII 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  give  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade ;  (/)  The  median  grade ;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it ;  (K)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it ;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank ;  (j)  The  maximum  varia- 
tion in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  central  cases ;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/)  The  average 
deviation. 


a 

b 

c 

d 

e 

/ 

g 

h 

i 

j 

k 

/ 

i 

95 

68 

27 

81.9 

83.0 

2d 

i3th 

ii 

8 

7-5 

3-i7 

2 

90 

64 

26 

80.0 

80.0 

5th 

iSth 

10 

4 

7.0 

2.17 

4 

94 

63 

3i 

84-3 

85-5 

2d 

i6th 

14 

6 

4-5 

2.83 

8 

95 

52 

43 

82.3 

85.0 

ISt 

i6th 

15 

10 

6.0 

4.04 

I31 

95 

'  7i 

24 

83-7 

85.0 

ISt 

i2th 

ii 

7 

6.0 

2.50 

i? 

93 

63 

30 

81.0 

81.5 

3d 

i4th 

ii 

7 

8.0 

2.58 

iQ 

92 

60 

32 

79.6 

80.0 

2d 

i9th 

17 

8 

9.0 

3-25 

20 

92 

70 

22 

82.7 

85.0 

2d 

1  6th 

14 

7 

6.0 

3.00 

ments  call  for  a  median  rank  of  5.8.  No.  8  is  one  of  those  com- 
positions on  which  teachers  cannot  agree.  Its  extreme  variation 
puts  it  beyond  our  further  consideration  here.  Comparatively, 
No.  13  has  not  a  wide  variation  in  grade  or  rank,  and  it  has  a 
mean  and  median  grade  of  83.7  and  85.0  respectively.  It  is  clear 
that  this  composition  is  a  strong  competitor  for  the  second  place. 
No.  17  has  a  wider  variation  than  No.  13,  and  its  mean  and 
medians  indicate  that  it  is  too  poor  for  an  85%  composition. 
No.  19  is  likewise  too  poor.  No.  20  has  a  narrow  extreme  varia- 
tion, its  mean  is  a  little  low,  but  its  median  is  perfect.  Its  ex- 
treme variation  by  rank  is  comparatively  wide,  while  its  median 
rank  is  satisfactory.  Clearly  the  selection  of  an  85  %  composi- 
tion for  this  scale  must  be  made  between  Nos.  13  and  20.  We 
select  No.  13  because  (a)  of  its  slightly  narrower  extreme  varia- 
tion by  grade,  because  (b)  of  its  mean  of  83.7  which  is  i  %  nearer 
the  standard  than  the  mean  of  No.  20,  because  (c)  its  extreme 
variation  in  rank  is  three  points  narrower  than  that  of  No.  20  and 
because,  (d)  in  other  respects  it  is  as  good  as  No.  20. 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  2  in  the  scale. 


42  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


"  C  "  GRADE  OR  75  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 75  % 

Median  Grade 75  % 

Median  Rank .  .  10.6 


TABLE  IX 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (/)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/)  The 
average  deviation. 

abed         e          f  g          h  i  j  k          I 

16      92      68      24  78.2  78.5  3d  i7th  14  7  9.5  3.25 

18      90      60      30  79.9  75.0  2d  i9th  17  8  9.5  2.46 

21 l    89      54      35  76.1  77.0  6th  i9th  13  6  n.o  2.38 

Obviously  compositions  Nos.  16  and  18  are  too  good  composi- 
tions for  typical  75  %  grade  compositions.  The  mean  or  average 
grade  of  the  former  is  78.2  and  that  of  the  latter  is  79.9.  In  rank 
likewise  they  are  better  than  No.  21  and  too  good  for  our  purpose. 
That  leaves  only  No.  21  to  be  selected  for  the  C  grade  or  75% 
composition.  Even  though  this  is  the  best  selection  that  can  be 
made  under  the  circumstances,  one  could  wish  that  the  extreme 
variations  were  less  and  that  the  other  statistical  items  were 
nearer  the  standard  requirements. 

"  D  "  GRADE  OR  65  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 65  % 

Median  Grade 65  % 

Median  Rank 15.4 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  3  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  43 

TABLE  X 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 

abode  f          g          h          i       j         k  I 

5  78   50   28   61.1   60.0   i4th  2ist    7   5   17.0   1.46 

6  88   50   38   69.4   69.5   8th  2oth   12   6   14.0   2.0 

7  80   40   40   63.5   65.0   loth  24th   14   7   16.5   2.67 
12   75   42   33   59-9   60.0   i4th  23d    9   4   17.0   1.71 
22 :  86   47   39   66.6   66.5    8th  2ist   13   7   15.0   2.46 

Clearly  Nos.  5  and  12  are  too  poor  for  a  typical  65%  composi- 
tion. No.  7  has  a  wide  extreme  variation  in  both  grade  and 
rank:  although  its  mean  and  median  grades  might  do,  its  median 
rank  is  too  low.  Hence  No.  22  is  selected,  even  though  its  mean 
and  median  grades  are  slightly  high  to  meet  the  standard  require- 
ments. 

"  E  "  GRADE  OR  55  %  COMPOSITION 
Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 55  % 

Median  Grade 55  % 

Median  Rank 20.2 

TABLE  XI 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (*)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 


a 

b 

c 

d 

e 

/ 

g 

i 

i 

J 

i 

| 

9 

75 

40 

35 

56.1 

58.5 

i4th 

23d 

9 

4 

2O.O 

1.58 

14 

76 

40 

36 

55-4 

53-5 

9th 

24th 

15 

6 

19-5 

2-75 

23  2 

74 

40 

34 

55-4 

57-5 

i4th 

23d 

9 

4 

19-5 

2.00 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  4  in  the  scale. 

2  Selected  as  Composition  No.  5  in  the  scale. 


44  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

In  considering  No.  9  it  is  clear  that  it  is  a  little  too  good  for  a 
typical  55%  composition,  as  shown  in  two  of  the  three  items  of 
the  standard  requirements.  The  item  of  median  rank  is  perfect. 
However,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  the  median  rank  of  the 
composition  selected  to  occupy  a  place  immediately  preceding 
this  was  15.0  instead  of  the  standard  requirement  of  15.4.  Hence, 
the  median  rank  of  composition  55%  in  the  scale  should  be 
slightly  under  20.0  rather  than  over  it.  Between  Nos.  14  and  23 
the  advantage  of  No.  23  is  in  the  narrower  extreme  variation 
by  rank  and  in  the  slightly  higher  median  grade.  Hence,  No.  23 
is  selected. 

"  F  "  GRADE  OR  45  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 45  % 

Median  Grade 45  % 

Median  Rank 25.0 

TABLE  XII 

EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (6)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  («)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h}  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 

a  b  c  d         e          f          g  h  i  j        k           I 

3  50  30  20  42.7  41.0  2ist  25th  4  2  25.0        .71 

ii  65  40  25  49.5  49.5  i6th  25th  9  5  22.0  2.08 

24  73  30  42  48.9  48.0  i7th  25th  8  4  22.0  1.38 

25  *    62       20      42      44.9      45.0       i9th      25th      6      3       23.5       1.29 

The  objection  to  No.  3  is  that,  although  all  agree  that  it  is  25th 
composition  in  rank,  or  the  poorest  in  the  series,  the  grades  given 
it  indicate  that  it  is  too  poor.  On  the  other  hand,  No.  1 1  is  too 
good.  The  choice  then  lies  between  Nos.  24  and  25.  It  is  clear 
that  No.  25  more  nearly  meets  the  standard  requirements.  No. 
24  is  a  little  too  good.  It  should  be  pointed  out  that  the  median 

,  *  Selected  as  Composition  No.  6  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


45 


rank  of  composition  No.  25  is  really  more  satisfactory  than  at 
first  appears.  The  median  rank  of  the  55%  composition  was 
19.5,  a  little  higher  than  the  standard  requirements:  if  to  this  is 
added  4.8,  the  difference  in  points  of  rank  between  compositions, 
we  have  24.3,  a  little  less  than  the  standard  requirements  indicate. 
Hence,  No.  25  is  selected  for  the  sixth  and  last  composition  in  the 
scale. 

SUMMARY 

The  following  table  shows  at  a  glance  how  the  statistical  items 
pertaining  to  each  composition  selected  for  the  scale,1  compare 
with  the  standard  requirements  established  for  each  composition. 


Mean 

Median 

Median 

No.  of 

Standard 

Grade  of 

Standard 

Grade  of 

Standard 

Rank  of 

Compositions  of  the  Scale 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Mean  or 
Average 
Grade 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Median 
Grade 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Median 
Rank 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

A  grade  or  95  %  .  . 

IO 

QC 

04-6 

QC 

or  O 

I.O 

I  O 

B      «          85%  

13 

85 

83.5 

85 

85.0 

5-8 

6.0 

C     "          75%  

21 

75 

76.1 

75 

77.0 

10.6 

II.O 

D     «          65%  

22 

65 

66.6 

65 

66.5 

15-4 

15-0 

E      «          55%  

23 

55 

55-4 

55 

57-5 

20.  2 

iQ-5 

F      «          45%  

25 

45 

44.9 

45 

45  -° 

25.0 

23-5 

The  chart  on  page  46  indicates  the  distribution  of  ranks  for  each 
of  the  six  compositions  constituting  the  description  scale.  The 
median  is  indicated  by  the  line  dividing  the  distribution.  For  an 
explanation  of  this  chart  see  pages  32  and  33. 

DEFINING  THE  MERITS  AND  DEFECTS  OF  THE  COMPOSI- 
TIONS IN  THE  SCALES 

After  the  scales  had  been  selected,  the  next  step  was  to  define 
the  merits  and  defects  of  each  composition  in  each  scale.  This 
was  done  by  a  committee  consisting  of  high  school  and  elementary 
school  teachers  with  the  cooperation  of  the  teachers  and  principals 
who  had  originally  read  the  compositions. 

1  For  the  Compositions  of  the  scale,  see  pp.  49-57. 


46 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


Nc 

0 

R, 

IN 

< 

Nc 

c 

Jo 

rip 

OS 

tic 

n 

:o 

"P 

OS 

ticn 

S 

:al 

c 

or 

P1 

et( 

24 

< 

et 

23 

22 

20 

19 

18 

17 

16 

15 

13 

Nc 

.  1 

12 

N 

0. 

10 

11 

10 

9 

8 

7 

5 

4 

3 

21 

2 

14 

1 

6 

21 

N 

.  ! 

20 

19 

24 

18 

fv 

0. 

13 

17 

11 

8 

13 

23 

22 

10 

16 

6 

12 

1 

2 

3 

15 

4 

9 

5 

14 

7 

.23 

20 

N< 

13 

24 

22 

19 

No. 

21 

10 

18 

8 

2 

21 

12 

15 

17 

9 

16 

7 

1 

6 

11 

14 

4 

5 

3 

22 

N 

19 

No. 

22 

20 

11 

21 

17 

8 

12 

10 

16 

15 

7 

14 

5 

9 

13 

3 

2 

4 

23 

24 

6 

1 

18 

22 

18 

16 

17 

24 

BJ 

20 

13 

21 

14 

23 

N 

0. 

23 

10 

6 

11 

5 

15 

8 

9 

3 

19 

2 

4 

7 

1 

12 

24 

20 

N 

23 

17 

18 

N 

0. 

25 

21 

22 

15 

14 

16 

11 

13 

10 

6 

7 

12 

6 

19 

8 

9 

3 

4 

2 

1 

HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  47 

The  six  compositions  of  the  description  scale  formed  the  basis 
of  a  teachers'  meeting,  consisting  of  eighth  grade  teachers,  ele- 
mentary school  principals,  and  high  school  teachers  of  English. 
In  preparation  for  the  meeting  each  person  was  asked  to  define,  in 
a  succinct  paragraph,  the  merits  and  defects  of  one  of  the  six 
compositions  in  the  scale.  This  assignment  had  two  results: 
first,  it  prepared  the  teachers  to  participate  in  the  discussion,  and 
second,  it  furnished  five  or  six  paragraphs  from  as  many  different 
people  setting  forth  the  merits  and  defects  of  each  composition 
as  each  reader  saw  them.  In  further  preparation,  two  persons 
were  asked  to  lead  the  discussion  on  each  composition.  With  this 
preliminary  preparation,  the  meeting  proved  exceptionally  inter- 
esting and  profitable  to  the  teachers.  It  was  interesting  because 
it  "  moved,"  and  it  was  profitable  because  it  was  devoted  to  the 
consideration  of  some  practical  everyday  school  matters  on  which 
every  teacher  was  glad  to  obtain  suggestions. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  written  paragraphs  mentioned 
above,  were  collected  and  turned  over  to  the  committee  which  was 
to  prepare  the  necessary  paragraphs.  The  preparation  of  these 
paragraphs  was  not  considered  an  easy  task  and  the  committee 
did  its  work  conscientiously  and  with  thoroughness.  After 
tentative  paragraphs  had  been  prepared  by  each  member  of  the 
committee  according  to  agreement  the  committee  held  a  meeting 
to  consider  them.  Besides  the  five  members  of  the  committee 
Superintendent  Spaulding,  Professor  Holmes  of  Harvard,  and 
the  Joseph  Lee  Fellow  attended  the  meeting.  The  paragraphs 
were  read  and  discussed  at  length.  It  was  agreed  that  the  par- 
agraph accompanying  each  composition  should  state,  in  general, 
why  each  composition  was  better  than  the  one  below  it  in  the  scale : 
why  it  was  poorer  than  the  one  above  it  in  the  scale,  and  also  its 
own  intrinsic  worth.  With  the  suggestions  from  the  discussion 
of  the  committee,  the  committee  revised  the  paragraphs  and 
prepared  the  final  definition  of  merits  and  defects  as  they  are 
found  accompanying  each  composition  in  the  description  scale. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Charles  S.  Thomas,  Head  of  the 
Department  of  English  in  the  Classical  High  School,  Newton,  and 


48  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

Editor  of  the  English  Leaflets  of  the  New  England  Association  of 
Teachers  of  English,  the  Description  Scale  and  the  accompanying 
paragraphs  were  published  in  the  February  issue  of  the  Leaflet 
with  the  request  that  members  of  the  association  offer  suggestions 
for  improving  them  before  final  publication. 

The  same  general  procedure  was  followed  in  Exposition,  Argu- 
mentation, and  Narration,  except  that  the  teachers  were  divided 
into  two  groups,  and  each  group  considered  two  of  the  above 
types.  In  the  case  of  these  scales,  also,  the  final  paragraphs  were 
not  prepared  in  time  to  be  presented  in  the  English  Teachers 
Leaflet  to  obtain  the  criticism  of  the  members  of  the  association. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  33 


COMPOSITION  NO.  i 

Rank 

i  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  g  10  ii  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  IQ  20  21  22  23  24 

23 

24 18  20 

..  15  19  17  ..   9  12  21  ..  22  8  6 

. .  14  16   7  10  5  3  ii  .  .   4  2  i  13 


The  series  of  numbers  at  the  top  ranging  from  one  to  twenty- 
five,  represents  the  possible  ranks,  any  one  of  which  this  composi- 
tion might  have  been  assigned  by  the  readers.  The  figures  near 
the  bottom  are  the  numbers  of  the  readers  giving  composition 
No.  i  the  ranks  indicated.  For  example,  composition  No.  i 
was  ranked  second  by  readers  Nos.  14  and  15;  it  was  ranked 
third  by  readers  Nos.  16  and  19;  it  was  ranked  fourth  by  readers 
Nos.  7, 17,  and  24,  and  so  on.  Similar  distributions  were  prepared 
for  each  composition,  but  space  does  not  permit  of  their  intro- 
duction in  this  monograph.  They  may  be  prepared  from  Table 
IV  by  anyone  interested. 

These  distributions  show  that  readers  agreed  well  as  to  the 
rank  of  some  compositions,  while  in  other  cases  the  greatest  dif- 
ference in  judgment  prevails.  For  example,  composition  No.  10 
is  ranked  first  by  twenty-one  out  of  twenty-four  readers,  and  one 
of  these  three  gave  it  the  highest  grade,  viz.  95  %.  In  the  case  of 
composition  No.  8,  there  seems  to  be  little  agreement.  One 
reader  ranks  it  as  high  as  ist,  while  one  ranks  it  as  low  as  i6th :  the 
remaining  readers  are  scattered  between  these  two  extremes,  with 
a  group  of  four  readers  ranking  it  in  second  place.  Obviously,  a 
scattering  distribution  means  a  wide  diversity  of  judgments  in 
ranking,  and  conversely,  a  heaping  up  of  the  figures  under  a  few 
ranks  means  a  greater  unanimity  of  judgments  among  readers. 
The  following  table  shows  a  summary  of  the  distribution  for  each 
composition. 

Table  V  shows  the  distribution  of  the  ranks  given  each  com- 
position in  description.  Compositions  are  arranged  in  serial 
order  according  to  the  "  Median  Ranks,'7  beginning  with  Median 
Rank  I. 


34 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


TABLE  V 

Rank 

Comp.  Median 
No.      Rank    /     a    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10  n  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24   25 


IO 

I  O 

zi          3                            . 

15 

3-O 

18733           .      .     i 

r 

4 
8 
13 

4-5 
6.0 
60 

.     51622121 
I433-3II. 
i           2343212 

.    i 

2       . 
2 

.       I       .... 
[21.... 

.      .      . 

20 

2 

6.0 
7-0 

.21343-31 
....17513 

2 
I       I 

.       I       .... 
II       

.      .      . 

80 

31               2               215 

2     3 

I                              i 

18 

9  ° 

31233 

6     i 

I 

16 

9-S 

2III33I 

4     3 

I       ... 

21 

II.O 

1322 

* 

[      2      5 

I                              i 

6 

22 

14.0 
15  o 

.        II 

.                                      2 

: 

t      •      2 

2      2      3      I       .       I 

6     I     i     2          3 

7 

16  5 

i 

2 

4334           i 

' 

12 

17.0 

156421 

2 

21 

14 

10  S 

I 

22              I      6      I 

g 

20  o 

3 

[           12416 

II 

22.  0 

I           412 

?          6      i 

24 

22.  0 

I           13 

8              23 

25 

23.5 

i     i 

5           75 

3 

2.S.O 

Not  only  is  there  great  diversity  of  judgments  among  readers, 
but  there  are  cases  where  some  readers  seem  to  be  extremely 
radical  in  their  judgment  of  a  composition  on  which  other  readers 
agree.  For  example,  one  reader  ranks  composition  No.  4,  i6th, 
while  most  of  the  other  readers  rank  it  from  8th  to  gth,  to  2d  or 
3d.  Several  readers  seem  likewise  to  be  radical  or  extreme  in 
their  judgment  of  the  rank  of  composition  No.  7.  In  view  of 
these  observations  we  were  led  to  adopt  a  method  of  segregating 
that  25%  of  the  readers  who  were  radical  or  extreme  in  their 
ranking.  The  lines  were  drawn  in  the  distributions  so  as  to  cut 
off  the  25%  or  less  of  the  readers  who  were  considered  extreme. 
The  maximum  variation,  both  of  the  whole  series  and  of  the 
central  75%  of  the  cases,  has  also  been  computed  for  each  com- 
position. The  following  table  shows  these  statistical  facts. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


35 


Table  VI  shows  (a)  the  highest  rank,  (b)  the  lowest  rank,  (c)  the 
maximum  variation  in  rank  of  the  series,  (d)  the  maximum  varia- 
tion of  75%  of  the  cases,  (e)  the  median  rank,  (/)  the  average 
deviation  for  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in  description. 


TABLE  VI 


Composition 
Number 

Highest 
Rank 

Lowest 
Rank 

Maximum 
Variation  in 
Series 

Maximum 
Variation  of 
75%  of  Cases 

Median 
Rank 

Average 
Deviation 

I 

2 

13 

II 

8 

7-5 

3-17 

2 

5 

15 

IO 

4 

7.0 

2.17 

3 

21 

25 

4 

2 

25.0 

•71 

4 

2 

16 

14 

6 

4-5 

2.83 

5 

14 

21 

7 

5 

17.0 

1.46 

6 

8 

2O 

12 

6 

14.0 

2.OO 

7 

10 

24 

14 

7 

I6.S 

2.67 

8 

I 

16 

15 

IO 

6.0 

4.04 

9 

14 

23 

9 

4 

20.0 

1.58 

10 

I 

3 

2 

0 

I.O 

•25 

ii 

16 

25 

9 

5 

22.0 

2.08 

12 

14 

23 

9 

4 

17.0 

I.7I 

13 

i 

12 

ii 

7 

6.0 

2.50 

14 

9 

24 

15 

6 

19-5 

2-75 

15 

i 

10 

9 

3 

3-o 

i-33 

16 

3 

17 

14 

7 

9-5 

3-25 

i? 

3 

14 

ii 

7 

8.0 

2.58 

18 

5 

IS 

IO 

6 

9-5 

2.46 

19 

2 

19 

17 

8 

9.0 

3-25 

20 

2 

16 

14 

7 

6.0 

3-oo 

21 

6 

19 

13 

6 

II.O 

2.38 

22 

8 

.21 

13 

7 

15.0 

2.46 

23 

14 

23 

9 

4 

I9-S 

2.00 

24 

17 

25 

8 

4 

22.0 

1.38 

25 

19 

25 

6 

3 

23-5 

1.29 

36  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

SELECTING  THE  SCALE 
(a)  THE  BASIS 

In  the  preceding  pages,  the  following  statistical  information 
has  been  worked  out  as  a  basis  for  selecting  the  six  compositions 
for  the  proposed  scale : 

A.  From  the  grades  given  each  composition  by  the  twenty-four 
readers. 

(a)  The  maximum  variation  in  grades. 

(b)  The  mean  or  average  grade. 

(c)  The  median  grade. 

B.  From  the  rank  or  relative  position  assigned  each  composi- 
tion by  the  twenty-four  readers. 

(a)  The  maximum  variation  of  the  whole  series. 

(b)  The  extreme  variation  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases. 

(c)  The  median  rank. 

(d)  The  average  deviation. 

(b)  FIXING  STANDARD  REQUIREMENTS 

Before  selecting  the  scale  on  the  basis  of  this  information  it  is 
necessary  to  answer  these  questions.  What  are  the  standard  or 
ideal  requirements  for  each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  pro- 
posed scale  in  terms  of  the  suggested  basis  of  selection  ?  What 
ought  the  maximum  variation,  the  mean,  and  the  median  to  be, 
according  to  the  grade  basis  of  selection  ?  What  ought  the  two 
maximum  variations,  the  median  rank,  and  the  average  deviation 
to  be,  according  to  the  rank  basis  of  selection  ?  We  shall  now 
proceed  to  answer  these  questions,  so  far  as  we  can. 

MAXIMUM  VARIATIONS  AND  AVERAGE  DEVIATIONS 

Large  maximum  variation,  in  either  the  grades  or  ranks, 
indicates  great  diversity  of  judgment  among  the  readers,  and 
conversely  small  maximum  variation  indicates  better  agreement 
in  judgment  among  readers.  The  former  has  been  shown  in  the 
case  of  composition  No.  8,  and  the  latter  in  the  case  of  composi- 
tion No.  10  (See  p.  34).  Obviously,  although  no  definite  fixed 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  37 

standard  for  variations  can  be  established  for  any  of  the  six 
compositions  of  the  proposed  scale,  it  will  be  agreed  that,  other 
things  being  equal,  that  composition  is  most  suitable  for  a  place 
in  the  scale  about  which  there  is  greatest  agreement  in  judgment 
both  in  grade  and  rank,  as  shown  by  a  small  maximum  variation 
and  a  small  average  deviation. 

THE  MEAN,  OR  AVERAGE  GRADE 

The  standard  requirements  of  the  mean  or  average  grade  for 
each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  scale  is  not  difficult  to  deter- 
mine. Our  object  in  this  whole  study  is  to  secure  a  scale  of  six 
compositions  which  shall  be  as  nearly  as  possible,  typical,  95  %, 
85%,  75  %,  65%,  55%,  and  45%  compositions.  Since  our 
ultimate  object  is  expressed  in  these  figures,  the  six  compositions 
selected  ought  to  have  a  mean  or  average  grade  of  95%,  85%, 
75%,  65%,  55%,  and  45%  respectively. 

THE  MEDIAN  GRADE 

What  has  been  said  about  the  mean  or  average  grade  applies 
also  to  the  median  grade.  The  six  compositions  for  the  scale 
should  have  respectively  a  median  grade  of  95  %,  85  %,  75  %,  65  %, 
55%,  and  45%. 

THE  MEDIAN  RANK 

The  standard  requirements  for  the  median  rank  require  some 
explanation.  It  is  important  that  the  six  compositions  of  the 
scale  should  be  approximately  the  same  distance  apart  in  rank. 
A  difference  of  10%  divides  them  in  grades:  how  many  points  in 
rank  should  divide  them  ?  There  are  twenty-five  ranks,  to  any 
one  of  which  a  composition  may  be  assigned  by  any  reader.  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  there  are  to  be  six  compositions  in  the  scale, 
there  must  necessarily  be  five  spaces  or  steps  in  the  series.  The 
problem  then,  is  to  divide  the  total  points  in  rank  between  the 
first  and  last  compositions  in  the  series  into  five  equal  divisions 
so  that  the  six  compositions  selected  for  the  scale  will  be  equidis- 
tant one  from  the  other. 


38  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

It  is  obvious  that  beginning  with  the  A  or  95  %  composition, 
that  composition  should  have  a  median  rank  of  i.o.  Deducting 
this  one  from  the  twenty-five  ranks,  the  total  number,  we  have 
twenty-four  points  of  rank  remaining  to  be  divided  into  five  equal 
divisions.  This  gives  4.8  points  in  rank  for  each  of  the  spaces 
between  compositions.  By  adding  this  amount  4.8,  to  i.o,  the 
median  rank  of  the  A  or  95%  composition,  we  have  5.8,  the 
median  rank  of  the  B  or  85  %  composition  of  the  scale.  By  add- 
ing 4.8  to  each  succeeding  median  rank  we  find  the  following 
median  rank  for  each  of  the  six  compositions. 

Median  Rank 

A  or  95  %  composition i.o 

Bor8s%  "          5-8 

C  or  75  %  10.6 

Dor  65%  15.4 

E  or  55  %  "          20.2 

F  or  45  %  25.0 

Because  the  ranks  in  the  graphs  are  given  only  in  whole  num- 
bers or  in  whole  numbers  and  halves,  it  is  clear  that  the  decimals 
in  the  above  median  rank  numbers  cannot  be  exactly  obtained. 
However,  the  median  rank  for  each  of  the  compositions  in  the 
scale  should  be  as  near  the  above  standard  median  ranks  as 
possible. 

SUMMARY 

From  the  above  discussion,  we  may  summarize  the  standard 
requirements  for  each  of  the  six  compositions  of  the  proposed 
scale.  As  has  been  already  stated,  there  is  no  fixed  standard 
requirement  in  the  case  of  maximum  variations,  or  average 
deviation,  either  in  grade  or  in  rank.  The  only  principle  to  fol- 
low is  this :  the  narrower  the  maximum  variation  the  better. 

The  other  items  are  summarized  as  follows : 

Grade  or  Rank  of  Mean  or      Median        Median 

Composition  in  Scale  Average        Grade  Rank 

A  Grade  or  95  % 95  %  95 %  i.o 

B  Grade  or  85% 85%  85%  5.8 

C  Grade  or  75  % 75  %  75  %  10.6 

D  Grade  or  65  % 65  %  65  %  15.4 

E  Grade  or  55  % 55  %  55  %  20.2 

F  Grade  or  45  % 45  %  45  %  25.0 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  39 

(c)  MAKING  THE  SELECTION 

The  first  step  in  the  selection  of  the  six  compositions  to  con- 
stitute the  scale  was  to  classify  the  twenty-five  compositions  into 
six  groups  corresponding  to  the  six  grades  or  ranks  of  composi- 
tions in  the  proposed  scale.  Each  composition  was  placed  in 
that  group  with  which  it  was  most  closely  identified  according  to 
the  several  statistical  items  in  the  table.  Such  a  classification 
results  as  follows: 

In  general  Composition  Nos. 

A  group  of  compositions  (All  from  90%  up)  10-15. 


C 

(" 
(" 
(" 


1-2-4-8-13-1 7~I9~2°' 
70  "   79%)  16-18-21. 

60  "  69%)  5-6-7-12-22. 

5°  "  59%)  9~I4-23- 

3-11-24-25. 


Having  thus  classified  the  twenty-five  compositions,  the  next 
step  was  to  select  the  one  from  each  group  which  was  shown  by  the 
standard  requirements  to  be  most  suitable  for  the  scale.  Begin- 
ning with  the  A  or  95  %  composition,  we  shall  consider  each  group 
in  order.  In  tabular  form  are  given  the  numbers  of  the  composi- 
tions which  are  to  be  considered  for  that  particular  place  in  the 
scale,  together  with  all  the  statistical  data  pertaining  to  each 
composition.  Preceding  the  table  in  each  case  are  given  the  stan- 
dard requirements  for  the  composition  as  worked  out  in  the 
preceding  pages.  Following  the  table  is  the  discussion  leading 
to  the  selection  of  the  most  satisfactory  composition. 

"  A  "  GRADE  OR  95  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  average  grade 95  % 

Median  grade 95  % 

Median  rank..  .  i.o 


40  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

TABLE  VII 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or  aver- 
age grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The  lowest 
rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum  variation 
in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank;  and  (I)  Average  de- 
viation. 

abed          e         f         g          h          i     j        k          I 
iol    95      90        5      94.6      95       ist        3d        2       o       i.o        .25 
15      95       80       15       89.6      90       ist       loth      9      3      3.0       1.33 

It  is  not  difficult  to  select  the  better  of  these  two  compositions. 
No  reader  felt  that  composition  No.  10  was  lower  than  90%  in 
grade,  or  than  3d  in  rank,  whereas  No.  15  was  graded  as  low  as 
80%,  and  ranked  as  low  as  loth  among  the  twenty-five  composi- 
tions. The  extreme  variations  are  therefore,  greater  in  the 
case  of  composition  No.  15.  Obviously  No.  10  was  considered  by 
the  readers  to  be  more  nearly  the  best  composition,  hence  it  is 
selected  as  the  "A"  grade  or  95%  composition  in  the  scale. 
No.  15  is  too  good  a  composition  to  be  considered  for  the  next 
composition  in  the  scale,  hence  it  has  to  be  dropped  from  further 
consideration. 

"  B  "  GRADE  OR  85  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 85  % 

Median  Grade 85  % 

Median  Rank 5.8 

From  the  table  below,  one  sees  at  once  that,  judged  by  these 
statistical  items,  several  of  these  compositions  are  not  really 
competitors  for  the  second  place  in  the  scale.  Nos.  i  and  2  are 
too  poor,  i.  e.,  they  are  graded  and  ranked  too  low.  No.  4  has  in 
its  favor  the  mean  and  median  grades  of  84.3%  and  85.5% 
respectively,  but  it  has  a  wide  extreme  variation  in  both  grade 
and  rank.  Also,  its  median  rank  is  only  4.5,  whereas  our  require- 

1  Selected  for  composition  No.  i  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  41 

TABLE  VIII 

EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  give  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade ;  (/)  The  median  grade ;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it ;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it ;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank ;  (j )  The  maximum  varia- 
tion in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  central  cases ;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/)  The  average 
deviation. 


a 

b 

c 

d 

e 

/ 

I 

h 

I 

j 

k 

/ 

i 

95 

68 

27 

81.9 

83.0 

2d 

i3th 

ii 

8 

7-5 

3.17 

2 

90 

64 

26 

80.0 

80.0 

5th 

1  5th 

10 

4 

7.0 

2.17 

4 

94 

63 

3i 

84.3 

85.5 

2d 

i6th 

14 

6 

4-5 

2.83 

8 

95 

52 

43 

82.3 

85.0 

ISt 

i6th 

15 

10 

6.0 

4.04 

I31 

95 

7i 

24 

83-7 

85.0 

ISt 

1  2th 

ii 

7 

6.0 

2.50 

i? 

93 

63 

30 

81.0 

81.5 

3d 

i4th 

ii 

7 

8.0 

2.58 

iQ 

92 

60 

32 

79.6 

80.0 

2d 

i9th 

17 

8 

9.0 

3-25 

20 

92 

70 

22 

82.7 

85.0 

2d 

1  6th 

14 

7 

6.0 

3.00 

ments  call  for  a  median  rank  of  5.8.  No.  8  is  one  of  those  com- 
positions on  which  teachers  cannot  agree.  Its  extreme  variation 
puts  it  beyond  our  further  consideration  here.  Comparatively, 
No.  13  has  not  a  wide  variation  in  grade  or  rank,  and  it  has  a 
mean  and  median  grade  of  83.7  and  85.0  respectively.  It  is  clear 
that  this  composition  is  a  strong  competitor  for  the  second  place. 
No.  17  has  a  wider  variation  than  No.  13,  and  its  mean  and 
medians  indicate  that  it  is  too  poor  for  an  85%  composition. 
No.  19  is  likewise  too  poor.  No.  20  has  a  narrow  extreme  varia- 
tion, its  mean  is  a  little  low,  but  its  median  is  perfect.  Its  ex- 
treme variation  by  rank  is  comparatively  wide,  while  its  median 
rank  is  satisfactory.  Clearly  the  selection  of  an  85%  composi- 
tion for  this  scale  must  be  made  between  Nos.  13  and  20.  We 
select  No.  13  because  (a)  of  its  slightly  narrower  extreme  varia- 
tion by  grade,  because  (b)  of  its  mean  of  83.7  which  is  i  %  nearer 
the  standard  than  the  mean  of  No.  20,  because  (c)  its  extreme 
variation  in  rank  is  three  points  narrower  than  that  of  No.  20  and 
because,  (d)  in  other  respects  it  is  as  good  as  No.  20. 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  2  in  the  scale. 


42  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


"C"  GRADE  OR  75%  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 75  % 

Median  Grade 75  % 

Median  Rank .  .  10.6 


TABLE  IX 

EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (i)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (;)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/)  The 
average  deviation. 

a        b  c  d         e  f          g          h  i  j  k          I 

16  92  68  24  78.2  78.5  3d  i7th  14  7  9.5  3.25 

18  90  60  30  79.9  75.0  2d  i9th  17  8  9.5  2.46 

21  *  89  54  35  76.1  77.0  6th  igth  13  6  n.o  2.38 

Obviously  compositions  Nos.  16  and  18  are  too  good  composi- 
tions for  typical  75  %  grade  compositions.  The  mean  or  average 
grade  of  the  former  is  78.2  and  that  of  the  latter  is  79.9.  In  rank 
likewise  they  are  better  than  No.  21  and  too  good  for  our  purpose. 
That  leaves  only  No.  21  to  be  selected  for  the  C  grade  or  75% 
composition.  Even  though  this  is  the  best  selection  that  can  be 
made  under  the  circumstances,  one  could  wish  that  the  extreme 
variations  were  less  and  that  the  other  statistical  items  were 
nearer  the  standard  requirements. 

"  D  "  GRADE  OR  65  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 65  % 

Median  Grade 65  % 

Median  Rank 15.4 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  3  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  43 

TABLE  X 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (*)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 


a 

b 

c 

d 

e 

/ 

g 

h 

f 

j 

k 

I 

S 

78 

50 

28 

61.1 

60.0 

i4th 

2ISt 

7 

5 

17.0 

1.46 

6 

88 

50 

38 

69.4 

69-5 

8th 

20th 

12 

6 

14.0 

2.0 

7 

80 

40 

40 

63-5 

65.0 

loth 

24th 

14 

7 

16.5 

2.67 

12 

75 

42 

33 

59-9 

60.0 

i4th 

2^d 

9 

4 

17.0 

I.7I 

22  1 

86 

47 

39 

66.6 

66.5 

8th 

2ISt 

13 

7 

15-0 

2.46 

Clearly  Nos.  5  and  12  are  too  poor  for  a  typical  65%  composi- 
tion. No.  7  has  a  wide  extreme  variation  in  both  grade  and 
rank:  although  its  mean  and  median  grades  might  do,  its  median 
rank  is  too  low.  Hence  No.  22  is  selected,  even  though  its  mean 
and  median  grades  are  slightly  high  to  meet  the  standard  require- 
ments. 

"  E  "  GRADE  OR  55  %  COMPOSITION 
Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 55  % 

Median  Grade 55  % 

Median  Rank 20.2 

TABLE  XI 
EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (**)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 


a 

b 

c 

d 

e 

/ 

g 

h 

i 

j 

k 

| 

9 

75 

40 

35 

56.1 

58.5 

i4th 

23d 

9 

4 

2O.O 

I.S8 

14 

76 

40 

36 

55-4 

53-5 

9th 

24th 

15 

6 

19-5 

2.75 

23  2 

74 

40 

34 

554 

57-5 

i4th 

23d 

9 

4 

19-5 

2.00 

1  Selected  for  Composition  No.  4  in  the  scale. 

2  Selected  as  Composition  No.  5  in  the  scale. 


44  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

In  considering  No.  9  it  is  clear  that  it  is  a  little  too  good  for  a 
typical  55%  composition,  as  shown  in  two  of  the  three  items  of 
the  standard  requirements.  The  item  of  median  rank  is  perfect. 
However,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  the  median  rank  of  the 
composition  selected  to  occupy  a  place  immediately  preceding 
this  was  15.0  instead  of  the  standard  requirement  of  15.4.  Hence, 
the  median  rank  of  composition  55%  in  the  scale  should  be 
slightly  under  20.0  rather  than  over  it.  Between  Nos.  14  and  23 
the  advantage  of  No.  23  is  in  the  narrower  extreme  variation 
by  rank  and  in  the  slightly  higher  median  grade.  Hence,  No.  23 

is  selected. 

"  F  "  GRADE  OR  45  %  COMPOSITION 

Standard  Requirements: 

Mean  or  Average  Grade 45  % 

Median  Grade 45  % 

Median  Rank 25.0 

TABLE  XII 

EXPLANATION 

Letters  in  the  following  table  designate  the  following  topics:  — 
(a)  The  number  of  the  composition;  (b)  The  highest  grade  given  it;  (c)  The 
lowest  grade  given  it;  (d)  The  maximum  variation  in  grade;  (e)  The  mean  or 
average  grade;  (/)  The  median  grade;  (g)  The  highest  rank  given  it;  (h)  The 
lowest  rank  given  it;  (»)  The  maximum  variation  in  rank;  (j)  The  maximum 
variation  in  rank  of  75  %  of  the  most  central  cases;  (k)  The  median  rank,  and  (/) 
The  average  deviation. 

a  b  c  d         e          f  g  h  i  j  k           I 

3  50  30  20  42.7  41.0  2ist  25th  4  2  25.0        .71 

ii  65  40  25  49.5  49.5  i6th  25th  9  5  22.0  2.08 

24  73  30  42  48.9  48.0  1 7th  25th  8  4  22.0  1.38 

25 *  62  20  42  44.9  45.0  i9th  25th  6  3  23.5  1.29 

The  objection  to  No.  3  is  that,  although  all  agree  that  it  is  25th 
composition  in  rank,  or  the  poorest  in  the  series,  the  grades  given 
it  indicate  that  it  is  too  poor.  On  the  other  hand,  No.  1 1  is  too 
good.  The  choice  then  lies  between  Nos.  24  and  25.  It  is  clear 
that  No.  25  more  nearly  meets  the  standard  requirements.  No. 
24  is  a  little  too  good.  It  should  be  pointed  out  that  the  median 

1  Selected  as  Composition  No.  6  in  the  scale. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


45 


rank  of  composition  No.  25  is  really  more  satisfactory  than  at 
first  appears.  The  median  rank  of  the  55%  composition  was 
19.5,  a  little  higher  than  the  standard  requirements:  if  to  this  is 
added  4.8,  the  difference  in  points  of  rank  between  compositions, 
we  have  24.3,  a  little  less  than  the  standard  requirements  indicate. 
Hence,  No.  25  is  selected  for  the  sixth  and  last  composition  in  the 
scale. 

SUMMARY 

The  following  table  shows  at  a  glance  how  the  statistical  items 
pertaining  to  each  composition  selected  for  the  scale,1  compare 
with  the  standard  requirements  established  for  each  composition. 


Mean 

Median 

Median 

No.  of 

Standard 

Grade  of 

Standard 

Grade  of 

Standard 

Rank  of 

Compositions  of  the  Scale 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Mean  or 
Average 
Grade 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Median 
Grade 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

Median 
Rank 

Compo- 
sition 
Selected 

A  grade  or  95  %  

IO 

95 

94.6 

95 

95-0 

I.O 

I.O 

B      "          85  %  .  . 

13 

8c 

83.^ 

85 

8s.o 

«c.8 

60 

C      "            75% 

21 

7tr 

76.1 

7c 

77  O 

10  6 

II  O 

D     "          65%  

22 

65 

66.6 

65 

66.5 

15-4 

15.0 

E      «          55%  

23 

55 

55-4 

55 

57.5 

20.2 

19.5 

F      «          45%  

25 

45 

44.9 

45 

45-o 

25-0 

23-5 

The  chart  on  page  46  indicates  the  distribution  of  ranks  for  each 
of  the  six  compositions  constituting  the  description  scale.  The 
median  is  indicated  by  the  line  dividing  the  distribution.  For  an 
explanation  of  this  chart  see  pages  32  and  33. 

DEFINING  THE  MERITS  AND  DEFECTS  OF  THE  COMPOSI- 
TIONS IN  THE  SCALES 

After  the  scales  had  been  selected,  the  next  step  was  to  define 
the  merits  and  defects  of  each  composition  in  each  scale.  This 
was  done  by  a  committee  consisting  of  high  school  and  elementary 
school  teachers  with  the  cooperation  of  the  teachers  and  principals 
who  had  originally  read  the  compositions. 

1  For  the  Compositions  of  the  scale,  see  pp.  49-57. 


46 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


No 

.  0 

Ri 

\N 

K 

Nc 

.  c 

io 

Tip 

OS 

tio 

n 

-0 

Tip 

OS 

ticn 

s 

:a! 

j 

C 

on 

(p\ 

Bt( 

24 

i 

et 

23 

22 

20 

19 

18 

17 

16 

IB 

13 

N( 

.  1 

12 

r< 

0. 

K> 

11 

10 

21 

14 

6 

21 

Ni 

.  '< 

20 

19 

24 

18 

r> 

0. 

13 

17 

11 

8 

13 

23 

22 

10 

16 

6 

12 

1 

2 

3 

15 

4 

9 

5 

14 

7 

23 

20 

N. 

13 

24 

22 

19 

No. 

21 

10 

18 

8 

2 

21 

12 

15 

17 

9 

16 

7 

1 

6 

11 

14 

4 

5 

3 

22 

N< 

19 

N 

0. 

22 

20 

11 

21 

17 

8 

12 

10 

16 

15 

7 

14 

5 

9 

13 

3 

2 

4 

23 

24 

6 

1 

18 

22 

18 

16 

17 

24 

Nj 

20 

13 

21 

14 

23 

No. 

23 

10 

6 

11 

5 

15 

8 

9 

3 

19 

2 

4 

7 

1 

12 

24 

20 

N 

23 

17 

18 

N 

0. 

25 

21 

22 

15 

14 

16 

11 

13 

10 

6 

7 

12 

5 

19 

8 

9 

3 

4 

2 

1 

HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  47 

The  six  compositions  of  the  description  scale  formed  the  basis 
of  a  teachers'  meeting,  consisting  of  eighth  grade  teachers,  ele- 
mentary school  principals,  and  high  school  teachers  of  English. 
In  preparation  for  the  meeting  each  person  was  asked  to  define,  in 
a  succinct  paragraph,  the  merits  and  defects  of  one  of  the  six 
compositions  in  the  scale.  This  assignment  had  two  results: 
first,  it  prepared  the  teachers  to  participate  in  the  discussion,  and 
second,  it  furnished  five  or  six  paragraphs  from  as  many  different 
people  setting  forth  the  merits  and  defects  of  each  composition 
as  each  reader  saw  them.  In  further  preparation,  two  persons 
were  asked  to  lead  the  discussion  on  each  composition.  With  this 
preliminary  preparation,  the  meeting  proved  exceptionally  inter- 
esting and  profitable  to  the  teachers.  It  was  interesting  because 
it  "  moved,"  and  it  was  profitable  because  it  was  devoted  to  the 
consideration  of  some  practical  everyday  school  matters  on  which 
every  teacher  was  glad  to  obtain  suggestions. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  written  paragraphs  mentioned 
above,  were  collected  and  turned  over  to  the  committee  which  was 
to  prepare  the  necessary  paragraphs.  The  preparation  of  these 
paragraphs  was  not  considered  an  easy  task  and  the  committee 
did  its  work  conscientiously  and  with  thoroughness.  After 
tentative  paragraphs  had  been  prepared  by  each  member  of  the 
committee  according  to  agreement  the  committee  held  a  meeting 
to  consider  them.  Besides  the  five  members  of  the  committee 
Superintendent  Spaulding,  Professor  Holmes  of  Harvard,  and 
the  Joseph  Lee  Fellow  attended  the  meeting.  The  paragraphs 
were  read  and  discussed  at  length.  It  was  agreed  that  the  par- 
agraph accompanying  each  composition  should  state,  in  general, 
why  each  composition  was  better  than  the  one  below  it  in  the  scale: 
why  it  was  poorer  than  the  one  above  it  in  the  scale,  and  also  its 
own  intrinsic  worth.  With  the  suggestions  from  the  discussion 
of  the  committee,  the  committee  revised  the  paragraphs  and 
prepared  the  final  definition  of  merits  and  defects  as  they  are 
found  accompanying  each  composition  in  the  description  scale. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Charles  S.  Thomas,  Head  of  the 
Department  of  English  in  the  Classical  High  School,  Newton,  and 


48  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

Editor  of  the  English  Leaflets  of  the  New  England  Association  of 
Teachers  of  English,  the  Description  Scale  and  the  accompanying 
paragraphs  were  published  in  the  February  issue  of  the  Leaflet 
with  the  request  that  members  of  the  association  offer  suggestions 
for  improving  them  before  final  publication. 

The  same  general  procedure  was  followed  in  Exposition,  Argu- 
mentation, and  Narration,  except  that  the  teachers  were  divided 
into  two  groups,  and  each  group  considered  two  of  the  above 
types.  In  the  case  of  these  scales,  also,  the  final  paragraphs  were 
not  prepared  in  time  to  be  presented  in  the  English  Teachers 
Leaflet  to  obtain  the  criticism  of  the  members  of  the  association. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  65 


Comparison 

The  theme  is  ranked  higher  than  No.  4  because  it  is  more  coherent,  and 
the  sentence  structure  is  better.  Because  the  sentence  structure  is  more 
monotonous,  and  because  it  is  not  so  well  punctuated,  the  theme  is  placed 
lower  than  No.  2. 


66  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  4.    "D"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  61.0% 
How  TO  BUILD  A  FIRE  l 

To  build  a  furnace  fire  you  must  as  the  following  instructs. 
First,  you  must  rake  down  and  take  out  all  the  cinders,  clin- 
kers and  ashes,  sift  them,  so  as  to  do  away  with  clinkers  and 
ashes  and  use  the  cinders  for  some  other  purpose. 
5  The  next  step,  is  to  get  your  material  ready  to  work  with. 
First  you  put  some  paper  in  the  furnace,  on  that  some  wood, 
wait  until  the  wood  is  blazing,  then  take  three  good-sized 
shovels  full  of  small  coal  and  put  it  on  that.  Take  the  same 
amount  of  big  coal  repeating  the  same  process.  A  fire  like 
10  this  is  supposed  to  last  eight  hours.  The  next  thing  to  do  is 
to  open  all  your  drafts  to  let  the  air  in  and  all  the  gas  and 
smoke  out  so  as  the  fire  will  progress  quicker.  Last  of  all 
investigate  your  work  to  see  if  it  is  allright.  Your  task  is 
done. 

Merits 

This  theme  shows  clear  thinking  and  a  mastery  of  the  details  that  make 
the  whole  convincing.  The  writer  has  evidently  built  furnace  fires  and  re- 
lives the  process  as  he  writes.  His  vocabulary  is  throughly  suited  to  his 
theme. 

Defects 

The  writer  has  shown  no  care  in  revising  his  theme.  There  is  an  obvious 
omission  in  the  first  line,  careless  sentence  structure  in  the  second  para- 
graph, and  a  misspelling  of  all  right  in  the  last  line.  The  sentence  com- 
mencing A  fire  like  this  is  an  intrusion  —  an  offense  against  coherence. 
The  last  sentence  may  be  omitted. 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  thinner  in  subject-matter  than  No.  3  and  is  more  obviously 
lacking  in  a  sense  of  style  and  form.  A  firm  grasp  of  the  elementary  prin- 
ciples of  composition  secures  its  place  above  No.  5. 

1  Composition  No.  6  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  67 

No.  5.    "  E  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  52.6% 
How  TO  HARNESS  A  HORSE  1 

When  you  get  the  horse  out  of  his  stall,  the  first  thing  to  do 
is  to  get  the  bridal  on  him.  On  putting  the  bridal  on  you 
first  take  hold  of  the  piece  of  the  bridal  that  goes  around  his 
neck  and  then  take  hold  of  the  bit  in  the  other  hand.  You 
then  take  hold  of  the  lower  part  of  his  mouth  and  pull  it  5 
down  and  then  slip  the  bit  in  his  mouth.  The  bit  is  the  iron 
piece  on  the  bridal.  When  you  get  the  bit  in  his  mouth  you 
tie  the  strap  around  his  neck.  Then  take  the  collar  and  put 
it  over  his  head  on  to  his  neck.  The  last  thing  to  do  is  to  put 
the  saddle  on,  throw  the  saddle  over  back  and  buckle  the  10 
inside  strap  on  the  to  the  other  side  of  the  saddle,  you  put  it 
under  his  stomack  to  buckle  it  and  you  have  to  have  it  good 
and  tight. 

Merits 

The  merits  are  three  in  number:  (i)  the  writer  knew  how  to  harness  a 
horse;  (2)  he  has  given  his  directions  in  an  orderly  manner;  (3)  he  has 
kept  to  his  subject  —  has  omitted  all  unnecessary  details. 

Defects 

The  defects  are  as  follows:  (i)  the  ideas  are  crudely  and  awkwardly 
expressed;  (2)  the  vocabulary  is  meagre,  as  shown  for  example,  by  the  fre- 
quent repetition  of  bridle  and  saddle;  (3)  bridle  and  stomach  are  misspelled; 
and  (4)  the  last  sentence  is  ungrammatical  and  crude  —  it  should  be  recast. 

Comparison 

This  theme  precedes  No.  6  in  the  scale  because  it  is  superior  in  sentence 
structure,  spelling,  and  clearness.  It  is  inferior  to  No.  4  in  vocabulary  and 
mechanics. 

1  Composition  No.  8  in  the  complete  set. 


68  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  6.    "F"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  39.1% 
How  TO  HARNESS  A  HORSE  l 

I  am  going  to  tell  you  how  to  harness  a  horse.  First  you 
led  him  out  of  his  stall  take  off  his  halter  then  put  on  his  col- 
lar then  put  on  his  bridle  put  on  his  saddle.  Then  led  him  out 
to  the  team  back  him  up  into  the  shafts  left  them  up  put 
5  them  into  the  socets  on  the  saddle  them  tient  up  the  shaft 
strap  then  fix  the  traces  to  the  whippel  tree  the  the  bretchen 
then  the  chect  rains  the  run  the  rains  throught  the  holds  in 
the  saddle  back  to  the  team. 

Merits 

Only  two  things  can  be  said  in  commendation  of  this  theme:  the  first 
sentence  is  free  from  mechanical  errors,  and  the  directions  for  harnessing  a 
horse  are  given  in  logical  order. 

Defects 

The  theme  has  many  faults.  The  meagerness  of  the  writer's  vocabulary, 
made  conspicuous  by  the  childish  repetition  of  then  and  put;  his  utter  lack 
of  sentence  sense;  his  inexcusable  errors  in  spelling,  such  as  led  for  lead, 
the  for  then,  left  for  lift,  tient  for  tighten  —  all  these  illiteracies  make  the 
theme  rank  low. 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  inferior  to  No.  5  in  spelling,  punctuation,  and  sentence 
structure.  With  its  bare  enumeration  of  the  steps  in  the  process  of  harnessing 
a  horse,  it  completely  lacks  the  slight  elements  of  grace  which  dependent 
clauses  and  fuller  explanations  contribute  to  No.  5. 

1  Composition  No.  u  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  69 

THE  ARGUMENTATION  SCALE 

THE  TABULATION  OF  RESULTS  OF  READINGS  l 

Table  I  shows  the  grade  that  each  of  the  twenty-four  readers 
gave  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in  argumentation. 

TABLE  I 

Number  of  Composition 
6  8 
ZP4    12     3     4     5     6     7     8     Q    10   ii    12   13    14   15   16   17    18   ig  20   21   22   23   24   25 


52  73  48  78  78  70  88  35  oo  60  82  48  58  55  80  95  58  40  oo  55  85  45  48  50  78 

66  69  60  72  77  7i  88  67  65  75  83  78  57  82  87  97  93  45  92  68  79  50  40  74  86 

50  50  40  75  75  70  85  45  60  80  70  50  50  55  65  95  65  45  95  60  55  45  40  55  oo 

45  50  ..  *  ....  75  ••  60  70  70  60  45  40  80  85  40  ..  75  70  80  ..  40  55  85 

75  70  58  80  ..  . .  65  45  85  68  83  55  50  88  .  .  90  72  50  78  68  65  58  62  60  78 

70  62  50  75  83  70  88  55  92  80  92  57  58  72  73  85  65  66  95  55  80  60  52  69  94 

65  70  60  85  80  80  75  68  85  70  80  75  70  65  70  95  75  60  85  70  68  65  55  65  70 

68  67  52  83  90  85  73  48  78  50  80  49  46  63  60  92  55  64  95  70  87  65  45  57  75 

60  60  45  50  65  70  65  50  70  60  60  50  40  60  75  95  65  45  85  60  50  45  45  70  65 

70  70  70  87  90  85  93  60  93  80  94  60  50  82  80  95  65  73  90  85  89  78  65  68  93 

55  85  45  80  70  70  90  45  95  65  80  70  50  55  . .  95  75  55  90  75  65  50  45  65  75 

70  50  55  52  62  69  80  66  85  73  75  74  40  45  61  90  51  54  83  82  87  63  48  57  88 

55  60  45  65  70  80  70  45  75  60  80  80  45  50  85  90  50  50  85  80  85  65  45  60  90 
60  85  45  55  65  48  75  45  oo  65  75  79  55  55  90  95  45  50  90  63  70  50  45  55  85 

56  54  45  85  80  83  91  78  88  65  70  58  50  68  78  95  54  46  93  52  72  50  46  50  75 

60  55  45  58  . .  50  60  50  95  50  60  65  55  65  . .  95  55  50  88  70  70  50  50  55  85 

61  56  54  82  69  78  79  55  94  75  93  73  65  80  90  95  67  60  88  70  85  58  48  63  92 

51  74  45  70  58  67  87  45  95  54  89  71  49  56  70  95  52  60  82  65  77  47  50  68  85 
48  48  40  50  50  65  68  55  50  52  56  50  45  48  65  oo  68  55  85  52  48  48  42  50  70 

67  69  60  72  70  7i  85  66  65  76  84  78  58  82  87  95  73  50  oo  68  80  55  45  74  88 
65  63  56  78  74  72  85  57  89  67  75  62  60  74  73  95  64  58  90  62  82  45  40  65  76 
61  71  45  87  85  77  93  52  90  65  75  59  55  64  76  95  66  48  92  54  78  53  46  47  79 
58  52  43  88  83  80  91  47  85  66  70  55  53  63  75  95  61  45  93  So  78  49  4O  46  7* 


1  Mr.  William  J.  Sands  did  the  statistical  work  on  the  Argumentation  Scale. 

2  Reader  No.  4  did  not  read  this  set  of  compositions. 

3  Blank  spaces  indicate  that  the  reader  did  not  grade  that  composition  because 
the  composition  was  not  considered  suitable  for  a  scale. 


70  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

Table  IV  shows  the  ranking  of  each  composition  in  argumenta- 
tion by  each  reader. 

TABLE  IV 

"o-o  Choice  in  Rank 


£p* 

6 

7 

8 

Q 

IO 

// 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

77 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

33 

34 

35 

I 

16 

9 

19 

7 

21 

ii 

IS 

25 

5 

4 

2 

6 

10 

13 

17 

20 

14 

i 

24 

23 

12 

3 

22 

18 

8 

2 

16 

19 

7 

IS 

25 

ii 

14 

21 

12 

S 

10 

24 

17 

4 

6 

2 

2O 

8 

I 

9 

3 

13 

22 

18 

23 

?1 

O 

4! 

5 

16 

25 

21 

IS 

19 

7 

ii 

10 

20 

9 

12 

24 

2 

I 

13 

17 

14 

23 

18 

8 

6 

5 

3 

22 

4 

6 

16 

14 

9 

ii 

4 

25 

19 

I 

I? 

2 

10 

20 

7 

21 

23 

24 

3 

22 

12 

13 

18 

8 

S 

6 

IS 

7 

19 

25 

ii 

9 

7 

16 

5 

10 

21 

4 

IS 

14 

6 

I 

24 

18 

17 

2 

22 

13 

12 

8 

20 

23 

3 

8 

16 

19 

9 

4 

ii 

6 

7 

12 

17 

20 

10 

25 

S 

IS 

13 

2 

21 

8 

24 

22 

I 

14 

18 

3 

23 

9 

19 

16 

5 

21 

6 

4 

ii 

9 

25 

7 

20 

I 

2 

22 

18 

14 

IS 

24 

17 

3 

10 

12 

8 

13 

23 

IO 

16 

19 

IS 

24 

9 

6 

25 

17 

7 

5 

20 

14 

II 

10 

I 

2 

21 

12 

8 

4 

13 

22 

18 

3 

13 

ii 

16 

ii 

7 

9 

25 

S 

19 

21 

4 

6 

20 

14 

10 

25 

22 

18 

I 

2 

3 

24 

17 

23 

8 

12 

13 

12 

9 

16 

7 

19 

2 

ii 

4 

20 

17 

25 

12 

5 

6 

IO 

24 

21 

18 

14 

I 

13 

22 

8 

3 

23 

IS 

13 

16 

25 

21 

9 

19 

20 

7 

II 

12 

IO 

J 

6 

8 

22 

5 

IS 

24 

3 

18 

4 

17 

2 

23 

14 

13 

14 

16 

25 

21 

IS 

19 

2O 

ii 

12 

6 

9 

S 

7 

4 

22 

2 

10 

24 

I 

14 

17 

18 

3 

8 

13 

23 

IS 

16 

9 

IS 

19 

2 

25 

12 

7 

ii 

21 

s 

IO 

20 

I 

14 

24 

4 

13 

18 

22 

6 

8 

17 

23 

3 

16 

16 

19 

7 

9 

4 

6 

5 

15 

25 

21 

II 

14 

10 

17 

12 

I 

2 

20 

13 

24 

22 

8 

18 

23 

3 

I71 

18 

16 

9 

ii 

25 

5 

19 

21 

4 

14 

7 

6 

10 

12 

20 

5 

17 

13 

24 

I 

18 

22 

2 

8 

3 

23 

19 

16 

9 

ii 

7 

25 

19 

21 

2 

12 

4 

IS 

24 

6 

20 

18 

S 

14 

10 

17 

i 

23 

13 

8 

22 

3 

10 

16 

19 

25 

7 

i? 

6 

IS 

II 

8 

18 

20 

10 

4 

5 

9 

12 

24 

14 

21 

22 

I 

2 

IS 

23 

3 

21 

16 

19 

25 

IS 

7 

ii 

14 

21 

12 

10 

24 

17 

4 

6 

5 

2 

20 

I 

8 

9 

3 

13 

22 

18 

23 

22 

16 

19 

9 

7 

21 

4 

25 

II 

5 

14 

IS 

6 

10 

24 

i 

17 

2 

12 

20 

13 

18 

8 

3 

22 

23 

23 

16 

7 

19 

9 

4 

S 

25 

21 

6 

IS 

II 

2 

17 

IO 

14 

I 

12 

13 

20 

22 

8 

18 

24 

23 

3 

24 

16 

19 

7 

4 

9 

5 

6 

21 

IS 

25 

II 

10 

14 

17 

i 

12 

13 

2 

2O 

22 

8 

24 

18 

3 

23 

1  Reader  No.  4  did  not  read  these  compositions.     Readers  No.  3  and  17  gave 
several  compositions  the  same  grade,  hence  the  compositions  could  not  be  ranked. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  71 

THE  COMPLETED  ARGUMENTATION  SCALE 
No.  i.    "A"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  93.2% 

Is  A  YEAR  OF  TRAVEL  MORE  ADVANTAGEOUS  THAN  A 
YEAR  OF  STUDY  ?  l 

Yes.     In  nearly  all  lines  of  study,  travel  is  an  important 
aid. 

Geography  for  instance.  Places  dryly  discussed  in  class 
and  soon  forgotten  become  actual.  Races  that  made  no  im- 
pression in  print  are  fastened  in  the  mind  by  a  hundred  vivid  5 
pictures.  Products  that  seemed  so  useless  and  annoying  to 
learn  are  full  of  importance  and  interest  when  seen  being 
loaded  on  ships  or  mules.  Queer  oriental  customs,  laughed 
at  when  studied  become  natural,  comprehended  facts.  Sta- 
tistics are  seldom  learned  while  travelling,  but  when  they  are,  10 
they  are  remembered  because  the  bare,  dry  fact  is  connected 
with  an  actual  thing  —  not  merely  figures,  groaned  over  be- 
cause they  were  difficult  to  learn. 

History  also.  Some  spot  where  General  A's  army  ma- 
noeuvered  in  this  direction,  and  Colonel  B's  in  that,  becomes  15 
real  ground,  to  be  reverenced  and  remembered.  The  hills 
that  would  get  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  diagram  are  here  in 
their  true  position,  and  that  granite  monument  marks  the 
spot  where  the  brave  commanders  died. 

Languages,  too.     An  impossible  French  name  slides  off     20 
glibly  when  often  heard.     Some  word  is  gained  with  very  lit- 
tle effort,  another,  and  the  door  to  the  whole  language  is 
thrown  wide.     The  same  is  true  of  Italian,  and  the  best  part 
of  it  is  that  the  pronunciation  is  correct. 

Mathematics  could  not  be  so  easily  acquired,  it  is  true,  as     25 
in  the  schoolroom.     But  when  the  mind  has  been  broadened 
by  the  year  of  travel,  the  student  would  more  easily  learn  this 
branch. 

1  Composition  No.  1 6  in  the  complete  set. 


72  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

As  for  English,  a  year  like  this  would  be  the  greatest  ad- 
30    vantage  possible.     The  lovely  landscapes  of  Switzerland  or 
Italy,  the  odd  manners  of  the  Orientals,  the  thousand  types 
of  humanity  —  everything  lends  its  aid. 

On  the  whole,  travel  is  a  thousand  times  an  improvement 
over   the   school,   because  it   creates   interest,   stimulates 
35     thought,  and  broadens  the  traveller  as  nothing  else  can. 

Merits 

This  theme  is  excellent  because  the  writer  has  his  argument  clearly  in 
mind,  follows  a  carefully  planned  outline,  and  expresses  himself  convincingly. 
The  question  is  stated  clearly,  and  the  conclusion  leaves  a  definite  impres- 
sion on  the  reader's  mind.  The  illustrations  used  are  well  chosen  and 
vivid,  especially  the  ones  about  foreign  customs  and  historical  scenes. 
Vocabulary  and  sentence  form  are  good. 

Defects 

A  different  arrangement  of  arguments  in  the  order  of  climax  would  add 
strength  to  the  theme.  The  beginning  of  each  paragraph  is  awkward 
because  of  the  use  of  detached  phrases  and  words:  i.e.  yes;  geography  for 
instance,  languages  too.  Either  these  phrases  should  be  deliberately  iso- 
lated as  headings,  and  the  whole  paper  thrown  into  outline  form,  or  else 
they  should  be  expanded  into  complete  statements.  There  is  some  weakness 
in  punctuation,  as  for  example,  a  semicolon  should  be  substituted  for  the 
comma  after  effort  in  line  22. 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  better  than  No.  2  because  it  follows  a  more  definite  plan, 
its  arguments  are  more  clearly  stated,  and  its  vocabulary  is  more  varied. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  73 

No.  2.    "B"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  81.5% 
WHY  COUNTRY  LITE  is  BETTER  THAN  CITY  LIFE  l 

Country  life  is  the  best  kind  of  life  there  is  to  be  lived. 

The  country  is  good  for  children  and  grown  up  people  alike. 
The  children  have  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  room  to  run  about 
in.  To  be  sure  they  do  not  have  the  large  schools  of  the  city; 
but  they  have  the  great  school  of  Nature  and  that  is  greater  5 
than  any  learning  they  could  get  in  city  schools.  The  parents 
are  not  afraid  to  let  them  run  about  because  there  are  no 
automobiles,  electric  cars,  etc.,  to  run  over  them.  There  is 
safety  in  the  country. 

The  country  is  the  best  place  sick  people  could  go.     The     10 
air  is  pure  and  bracing  and  there  is  water  cool  and  fresh  from 
the  spring  or  well.     For  the  tired  man  working  in  a  busy 
city  office  a  rest  in  the  country  is  the  best  thing  for  him  and 
the  sooner  he  gets  it  the  better  it  is  for  him. 

The  country  people  have  good  times  even  if  they  don't  go     15 
to  fancy  balls,  theatres,  etc.,  and  stay  up  until  one  or  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning.     They  have  a  good  healthy  time  and 
are  home  and  in  bed  by  nine  or  half -past. 

For  these  reasons,  and  many  others,  the  country  is  the  best 
place  for  children  or  adults,  sick  or  well.  20 

Merits 

The  writer  has  a  sense  of  arrangement,  shown  (i)  by  his  introduction; 
(2)  by  his  paragraphs  that  develop  successively  the  advantages  of  country 
life;  and  (3)  by  his  conclusion.  The  composition  is  also  correct  in  its 
elementary  mechanics  —  spelling,  punctuation,  grammar,  and  paragraph 
and  sentence  structure.  The  vocabulary,  while  not  distinctive,  is  adequate. 

Defects 

The  arguments  are  not  wholly  convincing.  For  example,  the  great  school 
of  Nature  is,  for  most  children,  not  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  a  city  school. 
Then,  to  say  without  qualification,  that  the  country  is  the  best  place  for 

1  Composition  No.  25  in  the  complete  set. 


74  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

sick  people  to  go,  is  misleading.     The  repeated  use  of  etc.  is  ineffective. 
The  summary  should  not  contain  the  phrase  and  many  others. 

Comparison 

This  composition  lacks  the  virility  of  thought  and  diction  that  marks 
No.  i.  It  is,  however,  superior  to  No.  3  in  arrangement,  in  sentence  struc- 
ture, and  in  its  firmness  of  mental  grasp. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  75 

No.  3.    "  C  "  GRADE   COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  71.9% 
THE  GOOD  OF  A  LANTERN  IN  GEOGRAPHY  1 

A  lantern  is  a  good  thing  in  a  school  as  it  shows  the  differ- 
ent cities,  countries,  and  also  the  ways  of  the  people.  This 
gets  the  children  acquainted  with  foreign  places.  Also  the 
reciting  about  the  pictures  gives  them  an  interest  which 
would  not  be  so  great  as  if  they  were  in  the  schoolroom.  5 

It  is  a  good  thing  for  the  children  to  get  up  before  the  class 
and  recite,  that  gives  them  self  confidence  and  also  prepares 
them  more  for  high  school.  In  having  the  lantern  it  interests 
the  children  so  they  look  for  pictures  to  use,  and  they  find  and 
read  many  interesting  things.  10 

When  the  pictures  are  passed  out  they  look  up  many 
things  at  home  and  find  out  new  things  and  so  as  other  chil- 
dren find  things  out  they  help  the  class. 

Merits 

The  merits  of  this  composition  are  three:  (i)  the  form  is  purely  argumen- 
tative throughout;  (2)  the  pupil  had  a  few  distinct  advantages  of  the  use 
of  a  lantern  in  mind;  and  (3)  troublesome  words  like  acquaintance  and 
foreign  are  correctly  spelled. 

Defects 

The  defects  are  as  follows:  (i)  poor  arrangement  of  facts  makes  this 
theme  ineffective;  (2)  the  sentences  are  awkward  —  for  example,  the  third 
and  fifth;  (3)  the  fourth  sentence  illustrates  the  "  run-on  "  sentence  or 
"  comma  error  ";  (4)  there  is  lack  of  clearness  in  the  antecedents  of  pro- 
nouns —  they  in  lines  5,  n,  and  13;  (5)  there  is  a  poverty  of  vocabulary  — 
the  word  thing  or  things  occurs  six  times,  and  children  occurs  in  almost 
every  sentence. 

Comparison 

This  theme  follows  No.  2  in  the  scale  because  it  has  less  mature  thought, 
inferior  sentence  structure,  and  a  more  limited  and  childish  vocabulary. 
It  precedes  No.  4  because,  although  not  so  effectively  written,  it  adheres  more 
closely  to  the  form  of  writing  required  —  argumentation. 

1  Composition  No.  6  in  the  complete  set. 


76  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  4.    "D"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  63.6% 
FOOTBALL  is  A  BETTER  GAME  THAN  BASEBALL  l 

Football  is  a  better  game  than  baseball.      It's  not  only 

(only)  muscle  and  strength  that  makes  a  football  player.     He 

must  have  the  power  to  think  quick.     When  the  team  is  a 

short  distance  from  the  goal  and  scores,  somebody's  quick 

5     thinking  has  done  it. 

Baseball  is  an  exciting  game  in  parts.  But  football  is  ex- 
citing from  the  (the)  time  the  ball  is  kicked  till  the  referee 
blows  his  whistle.  Football  shows  when  a  man  or  boy  has 
grit.  I  once  attended  a  game.  The  score  was  tie  and  the 

10  opposing  team  were  only  a  few  yards  from  the  goal  and  three 
minutes  to  play.  The  quarterback  gave  his  signal  and  they 
struck  the  line.  The  struggling  mass  moved  a  few  feet  and 
stopped  with  a  jump.  Out  of  the  mass  a  man  jumped.  His 
face  was  all  battered,  but  he  struggled  on  till  he  had  got  the 

15  ball  over  the  line.  Some  people  call  it  brutal.  Some  cases  it 
is  and  some  it  is  not.  I  would  rather  strike  the  line  in  foot- 
ball clothes  for  a  few  yards  gain,  than  stand  up  at  a  plate  and 
have  a  man  hurl  baseballs  at  me.  Which  would  you  rather 
do? 

Merits 

The  writer  of  this  theme  evidently  has  a  plan  of  procedure  in  mind. 
After  clearly  stating  his  proposition  in  the  first  sentence,  he  seeks  to  establish 
three  good  points  of  superiority  for  the  game  of  football.  Though  unable 
to  prove  these  points,  he  has  succeeded  in  leaving  with  the  reader  a  firm 
conviction  of  his  belief  that  football  is  a  good  sport.  Lines  9-15  give  effec- 
tively the  writer's  impressions  of  a  critical  moment  in  a  game. 

Defects 

The  author  fails  to  prove  his  proposition,  because  he  mistakes  for  argu- 
ments a  few  loosely  stated  facts  and  preferences.  His  plan  of  reasoning, 
though  suggested,  is  entirely  undeveloped.  Mechanical  errors  are  numer- 
ous: (i)  two  mistakes  in  the  use  of  parentheses  (lines  2  and  7);  (2)  plural 
verb  with  singular  subject  (line  10) ;  (3)  adjective  modifies  a  verb  (line  3) ; 

1  Composition  No.  a  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  77 

and  the  pronoun  it  is  used  vaguely  in  line  15.      The   paragraphs  are 
without  system,  and  the  sentences  in  general  are  short  and  disconnected. 

Comparison 

This  composition  deserves  its  place  in  the  scale  above  No.  5  because  of 
its  superior  mechanical  accuracy  and  larger  vocabulary.  It  does  not  hold 
as  closely  to  its  subject  as  does  No.  3. 


78  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  5.    "E"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  52.3% 
WHY  EVERY  GIRL  SHOULD  LEARN  TO  COOK  1 

Every  girl  should  learn  to  cook.     If  she  was  out  of  imploi- 
ment  it  would  be  very  useful. 

Later  on,  if  she  should  keep  house  she  would  want  to  be 
able  to  cook.  If  she  didn't  know  how,  the  lady  would  have 
5  to  hire  a  cook.  Sometime,  perhaps,  she  could  not  pay  to 
keep  a  cook.  Then  she  would  say,  "  Oh,  how  I  wished  I 
learned  to  cook  when  I  was  younger,  instead  of  buying  bak- 
ers things." 

If  this  womans  children  wanted  to  learn  to  cook  who 
10    would  they  ask  to  learn  them.     Their  mother  couldn't,  be- 
cause she  did  n't  know  how  her  self.     So  you  may  see  for 
yourself  it  is  very  important  that  every  girl  should  learn  to 
cook. 

Merits 

This  theme  shows  that  the  author  had  a  plan;  for  it  gives  several  sound 
reasons  why  every  girl  should  learn  to  cook  —  reasons  arranged  in  a  fairly 
logical  order.  The  punctuation  of  certain  sentences  is  unexpectedly  good. 

Defects 

The  theme  is,  however,  faulty  in  unity  and  coherence.  There  is  a  shift- 
ing of  tense,  a  lack  of  definite  antecedents  for  such  words  as  it  (line  2),  and 
lady  (line  4).  The  arguments  are  not  sufficiently  expanded  to  make  them 
clear.  The  theme  is  further  marred  by  such  mechanical  errors  as :  misspelling 
of  employment  (line  i) ;  a  complete  absence  of  the  apostrophe  and  interroga- 
tion point;  the  incorrect  use  of  who  (line  9),  and  learn  (line  10). 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  placed  lower  in  the  scale  than  No.  4;  it  has  less  force  as  an 
argument,  and  has  more  mechanical  errors. 

1  Composition  No.  13  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  79 

No.  6.    "  F  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  47.0% 
THE  WINTER  is  THE  BEST  SEASON  l 

The  winter  is  the  best  season  in  the  year  because  they  are 
skating  and  pung-riding  coasting  etc.  In  the  spring  when 
you  plant  the  crops  you  are  kept  busy.  In  the  summer  tak- 
ing care  of  them  weeding  in  them  and  picking  bean  peas, 
and  the  only  day  you  get  of  is  Sunday.  5 

In  July  it  is  too  hot  you  swet  all  the  time  the  horse  won't 
run  because  it  is  so  hot.  In  the  fall  you  are  busy  get  in  all  the 
crops  and  cutting  corn  banking  celery,  digging  potatoes,  pull- 
ing turnips,  picking  apples,  pears,  cutting  onions  and  every 
thing  else.  So  the  winter  is  the  only  time  you  can  have  fun  10 
when  they  are  nothing  to  do. 

Merits 

There  is  little  to  defend  in  this  theme.  Only  one  line  of  argument  is 
attempted;  that  one,  however,  is  arranged  logically  according  to  the  order 
of  the  four  seasons.  The  use  of  specific  words  is  good,  and  the  large  number 
of  illustrations  drawn  from  the  pupil's  own  experience  arouses  sympathy  in 
the  reader. 

Defects 

Although  the  range  of  arguments  is  limited,  and  those  arguments  consist 
mainly  of  the  enumeration  of  the  woes  that  beset  a  boy  in  the  other  seasons 
rather  than  in  the  joys  of  winter,  it  is  from  the  mechanical  standpoint  that 
this  theme  is  a  failure.  There  is  manifested  an  entire  lack  of  sentence-sense 
since  examples  of  both  "  run-on  "  sentences  and  unfinished  clauses  occur 
frequently.  Errors  in  spelling,  punctuation,  and  grammar  are  found  in 
every  line.  The  whole  composition  is  the  expression  of  a  backward,  limited 
mind. 

Comparison 

The  theme  deserves  a  lower  place  in  the  scale  than  No.  5  because  of  the 
greater  frequency  of  mechanical  errors.  In  weight  of  subject  matter,  how- 
ever, it  is  superior. 

1  Composition  No.  23  in  the  complete  set. 


8o 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 


THE  NARRATION  SCALE 

THE  TABULATION  or  RESULTS  OF  READINGS  l 

Table  I  shows  the  grade  that  each  of  the  twenty-four  readers 
gave  each  of  the  twenty-five  compositions  in  narration. 

TABLE  I 


""! 

6  S 

Number  of  the  Composition 
S  6  7  8  9  10  ii  12  13  14  15  16  17  18 

IQ 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24  25 

i 

2 
3 

73 
90 
93 

45 
58 
45 

95 
95 
95 

68 
58 

68  58  9°  58  55  70  60  80  73  68  75  55  50  78 
61  55  56  58  59  60  76  87  69  68  73  62  72  75 
58  65  93  45  60  60  77  90  50  55  65  68  80  83 

85 
82 
73 

60 
64 

48 

75 
86 
75 

75 
80 
90 

65 
65 
68 

73  80 
70  85 
88  85 

5 

75 

50 

95 

78 

73  55  70  50  48  70  73  85  88  68  75  85  70  65 

90 

60 

90 

85 

80 

80  93 

6 

79 

46 

93 

66 

83  64  75  60  78  52  58  95  78  82  80  85  73  70 

75 

67 

60 

88 

75 

77  91 

7 

78 

48 

95 

65 

75  55  92  67  67  60  62  87  70  68  71  60  64  82 

9i 

58 

88 

72 

66 

68  90 

8 

70 

50 

80 

65 

68  50  75  .  .  168  60  50  65  70  60  50  50  50  65 

65 

60 

68 

65 

60 

50  70 

9 

70 

45 

95 

75 

55  53  85  73  72  72  73  90  83  57  48  63  78  80 

87 

50 

73 

68 

65 

60  93 

10 

75 

45 

95 

73 

65  55  85  70  68  63  70  90  80  58  45  67  70  80 

80 

48 

70 

68 

73 

58  90 

ii 

78 

40 

90 

65 

87  63  95  70  75  60  73  84  73  75  55  55  73  80 

83 

60 

86 

76 

70 

78  85 

12 

90 

45 

95 

83 

67  48  70  57  53  55  80  93  92  63  75  65  72  85 

75 

50 

75 

70 

78 

60  88 

13 

82 

65 

94 

81 

79  78  93  80  77  88  89  87  91  76  90  60  74  75 

92 

70 

86 

83 

84 

85  95 

14 

88 

45 

95 

70 

85  65  90  55  50  65  75  90  85  70  90  75  78  80 

95 

75 

85 

80 

85 

78  95 

15 

70 

45 

95 

50 

64  54  91  65  75  58  62  83  68  60  75  50  68  78 

85 

49 

85 

68 

59 

55  88 

16 

78 

45 

92 

56 

65  50  90  62  58  60  60  88  72  66  68  57  62  80 

85 

52 

87 

75 

68 

70  95 

i? 

92 

45 

93 

48 

83  50  70  55  60  68  80  83  75  78  80  50  58  94 

93 

68 

85 

88 

58 

85  85 

18 

88 

45 

95 

68 

71  55  88  60  70  62  76  92  83  73  75  53  65  90 

86 

58 

78 

85 

53 

80  84 

19 

88 

45 

95 

67 

80  55  83  61  76  60  77  91  87  78  77  60  65  90 

86 

59 

81 

84 

7i 

79  85 

20 

95 

40 

90 

58 

55  50  62  60  50  58  65  80  72  50  45  55  55  58 

70 

48 

55 

58 

75 

85  55 

21 

85 

45 

95 

65 

68  60  92  55  48  51  75  90  73  64  69  53  66  80 

81 

7i 

87 

78 

62 

70  83 

22 

81 

48 

95 

67 

73  55  92  72  66  50  75  87  70  62  70  66  64  74 

78 

53 

80 

75 

68 

82  85 

23 

76 

50 

95 

65 

64  57  92  61  59  74  58  82  79  66  68  63  60  84 

83 

62 

80 

71 

69 

75  87 

24 

77 

45 

95 

64 

62  60  93  66  59  67  69  83  80  63  68  56  75  85 

89 

61 

87 

72 

70 

65  91 

1  Mr.  Maurice  J.  Lacey  did  the  statistical  work  on  the  Narration  Scale. 

2  Reader  No.  4  did  not  read  this  set  of  themes. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  81 

Table  IV  shows  the  ranking  of  each  composition  in  narration 
by  each  reader. 

TABLE  IV 

Choice  in  Rank 
fc P4   i     2     3     4      5     67     8     Q    10   ii    12   13   14   15   16   17    18   ig   20   21   22   23   24   25 


I 

2 

3 
4! 

3 
3 
3 

7 

i 
i 

19 

12 

7 

25 
21 
12 

12 

25 
22 

18 

19 

24 

IS 

22 
25 

21 
II 

18 

22 

18 

17 

z 
IS 
II 

13 
17 

21 

24 

4 
19 

IO 
24 

16 

4 
13 

23 

5 
14 
IS 

U 
23 
6 

23 
20 
10 

ii 

16 
9 

20 

5 
5 

6 

IO 

4 

8 
9 
14 

9 

2 
13 

16 
8 

20 

17   2 

7   6 
2   8 

S 

3 

25 

19 

21 

13 

16 

22 

12 

23 

24 

4 

I 

IS 

5 

II 

7 

10 

17 

14 

18 

2O 

6 

2 

8  9 

6 

12 

3 

25 

22 

16 

5 

14 

15 

I 

9 

13 

24 

23 

19 

7 

17 

18 

20 

4 

6 

21 

8 

II 

10   2 

7 

3 

7 

19 

25 

21 

12 

18 

I 

5 

22 

IS 

13 

14 

24 

8 

9 

23 

4 

17 

ii 

10 

16 

20 

6   2 

8 

3 

7 

25 

13 

I 

9 

21 

S 

4 

19 

18 

22 

12 

14 

10 

20 

23 

17 

24 

ii 

6 

16 

2 

IS  .. 

9 

3 

25 

12 

19 

7 

13 

18 

17 

4 

21 

8 

II 

9 

10 

I 

22 

23 

16 

24 

U 

5 

6 

2O 

IS   2 

10 

3 

25 

12 

7 

19 

18 

13 

I 

23 

4 

21 

17 

ii 

8 

9 

22 

16 

S 

10 

24 

M 

6 

20 

IS   2 

ii 

7 

3 

5 

21 

25 

12 

19 

18 

I 

24 

22 

9 

14 

ii 

13 

17 

8 

23 

4 

6 

10 

20 

IS 

16   2 

12 

3 

12 

13 

I 

25 

18 

4 

ii 

23 

IS 

21 

19 

I? 

22 

7 

5 

16 

14 

24 

8 

10 

9 

20 

6   2 

13 

25 

3 

7 

19 

13 

15 

ii 

10 

12 

21 

24 

23 

22 

I 

4 

8 

S 

6 

9 

14 

18 

17 

20 

2  16 

14 

3 

19 

25 

7 

12 

15 

i 

S 

13 

21 

23 

18 

22 

24 

17 

20 

16 

ii 

14 

4 

6 

10 

8 

9   2 

IS 

3 

7 

25 

21 

19 

12 

18 

15 

9 

I 

13 

17 

22 

8 

5 

II 

14 

23 

10 

24 

6 

4 

16 

20   2 

16 

25 

3 

7 

12 

21 

19 

18 

I 

22 

13 

24 

15 

23 

14 

S 

17 

8 

10 

ii 

9 

16 

4 

20 

6   2 

i? 

3 

18 

19 

I 

22 

21 

24 

25 

S 

12 

II 

IS 

14 

13 

7 

10 

20 

9 

23 

17 

8 

6 

16 

4   2 

18 

3 

12 

18 

7 

I 

19 

22 

25 

13 

24 

21 

ii 

15 

U 

5 

9 

4 

17 

10 

8 

20 

6 

23 

16   2 

19 

3 

12 

18 

i 

13 

19 

25 

22 

7 

21 

5 

24 

U 

IS 

9 

ii 

23 

4 

17 

8 

16 

10 

20 

6   2 

20 

I 

3 

24 

12 

23 

13 

19 

II 

7 

8 

4 

10 

18 

22 

25 

21 

17 

16 

S 

14 

9 

6 

20 

IS   2 

21 

3 

7 

12 

21 

I 

25 

19 

18 

22 

II 

13 

20 

24 

15 

5 

17 

4 

M 

23 

6 

8 

16 

10 

9   2 

22 

3 

7 

12 

25 

24 

I 

21 

19 

II 

22 

18 

5 

8 

13 

15 

23 

4 

9 

16 

17 

14 

6 

20 

IO   2 

23 

3 

7 

25 

18 

19 

12 

21 

13 

I 

24 

10 

22 

23 

IS 

14 

4 

5 

16 

20 

8 

17 

9 

II 

6   2 

24 

3 

7 

25 

19 

21 

18 

12 

13 

I 

17 

22 

23 

i 

15 

10 

8 

24 

4 

14 

5 

20 

6 

9 

16   2 

Reader  No.  4  did  not  read  this  set  of  compositions. 


82  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

THE  COMPLETED  NARRATION  SCALE 

No.  i.    "A"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  93.5% 

MY  FIRST  RIDING  LESSON  x 

I  gazed  down  into  the  riding  ring  from  the  balcony  where  I 
was  sitting.  The  riding  master  was  cantering  around  the 
ring  with  a  young  girl  who  seemed  to  be  an  experienced  rider. 
Riding  looked  easy. 

5  After  another  round  he  rode  up  to  the  doors  which  a  man 
outside  flung  open,  and  rode  out.  A  few  minutes  later  he 
called  up  the  stairs,  "  I  am  ready  for  you,  Miss  Speare,"  and 
taking  my  crop  I  rushed  eagerly  down  the  stairs,  for  this  was 
my  first  riding  lesson. 

10        I  scrambled  on  to  the  back  of  a  small  horse  that  stood  pa- 
tiently quiet,  waiting. 

"  Are  your  stirrups  all  right  ?  "  the  riding  master  asked, 
when  I  was  on. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "They  are  just  the  right  length." 
15        "  Thatls  good,"  and  lie  leaped  into  the  saddle  and  we  rode 
into  the  ring. 

"  You  have  not  ridden  before,  have  you  ?  "  he  asked  as  we 
walked  slowly  around  the  ring. 

"  No,"  I  replied,  "  I  have  n't."     "  But  I  was  thinking  to 
20    myself  how  easy  riding  is ! 

"  We  will  trot  now,"  he  said,  after  a  little  and  the  horses 
began  to  trot  slowly. 

Then  I  discovered  my  mistake.     Riding  is  not  especially 
easy  for  beginers.     And  trotting  is  not  as  easy  as  walking. 
25        "  Rise  with  the  horse,"  he  commanded.     "  Cling  on  with 
your  knees  and  rise  in  your  stirrups." 

Easier  said  then  done.     I  bounced  up  and  down  until  I 
thought  I  should  fall  off.     It  looked  so  easy  when  other 
people  trotted!     He  seemed  to  do  it  so  easily,  why  couldn't 
30    I  ?     Yet  I  could  n't  and  that  was  plain. 

1  Composition  No.  3  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  83 

"  I  c-can't  s-seem  to  r-rise  with  h-him.  H-he  b-bounces 
m-me  awful,"  I  gasped  finally.  He  pulled  in  and  we  walked 
for  a  while. 

"  Now  try  to  rise  in  your  stirrups,"  he  said  as  we  began  to 
trot  again.  35 

I  got  along  better  this  time  although  I  still  bumped 
terribly. 

Then  he  discovered  that  the  hour  was  up  and  we  rode  out. 
He  dismounted  and  helped  me  off  and  when  I  reached  the 
ground  I  felt  very  unsteady.  40 

I  staggered  up  the  stairs,  for  I  was  very  wobbly,  seized  my 
crop  and  hurried  down.  If  riding  was  like  this  all  the  time! 
He  was  talking  to  mother. 

"  All  right,"  I  heard  him  say,  "  A  week  from  to-day;  same 
time.     She  did  pretty  well  for  the  first  time.     Too  bad  she  is    45 
so  stiff." 

I  didn't  feel  like  another  lesson  at  any  time  but  I  didn't 
say  so  and  with  mother  I  left  the  riding  school  and  my  first 
riding  lesson  was  at  an  end. 

Merits 

The  situation  is  vividly  portrayed,  with  plenty  of  conversation.  From 
the  lively  introduction  to  the  direct  conclusion,  the  interest  is  kept  up  by 
well-selected  details.  The  paragraphing  is  good,  and  the  mastery  of  quo- 
tation marks  is  evident.  Good  choice  of  words  is  shown  in  such  natural 
phrasing  as  rushed,  gazed,  flung,  scramble,  bounced,  staggered.  The  connec- 
tion between  the  paragraphs  is  unusually  good. 

Defects 

The  defects  are  in  matters  of  form.  There  is  unnecessary  repetition  of 
the  word  ride.  Punctuation  is  omitted  in  several  places.  There  are  mis- 
takes in  spelling  (lines  10,  24,  27).  In  that's  good,  the  apostrophe  is  omitted. 
The  concluding  sentence  is  loosely  constructed. 

Comparison 

This  theme  holds  a  higher  place  than  No.  2  because  of  its  excellent  choice 
of  details  and  its  vivid  expression.  It  is  a  more  ambitious  piece  of  work, 
and  the  interest  is  more  surely  sustained. 


84  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  2.     "  B  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  83.0% 
MY  TRIP  TO  FAIRYLAND  l 

It  was  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  as  I  was 
very  tired  I  sat  down  by  the  fire  to  rest.  Suddenly  I  heard  a 
small  voice  calling  me  by  name.  I  immediately  looked  up 
and  beside  me  I  saw  what  I  thought  was  a  fairy.  I  was  very 
5  much  excited  as  I  had  never  seen  a  fairy  but  had  only  read  of 
them. 

"  Would  you  like  to  come  with  me  to  Fairyland  and  rid 
yourself  of  your  cares  for  a  while  ?  "  she  questioned. 

"  I  would  love  to,"  I  answered. 
10        "  Then  only  follow  me,"  she  said. 

So  out  of  the  room  we  went  and  down  the  cellar  stairs. 

"  Where  are  you  leading  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  You  shall  soon  find  out,"  she  answered. 

We  went  into  the  darkest  corner  of  the  cellar.     She  showed 
15    me  a  small  trap  door  which  she  went  through,  leaving  me 
alone. 

"  But  how  am  I  to  get  through  ?  "  I  asked. 

Without  a  reply  she  touched  me  with  her  small  wand,  and 
before  I  had  a  chance  to  say  a  word  I  found  myself  through 
20    the  door  and  in  a  beautiful  garden  which  was  filled  with  fra- 
grant flowers  of  many  kinds.     She  led  me  through  it,  and  at 
one  end  of  it  I  saw  a  white  marble  palace. 

"  This  is  my  home,"  she  said.     Do  you  care  to  enter  ?  " 

"  That  would  be  delightful,"  I  said. 

25  Up  the  stairs  we  went  and  down  a  long  hall.  Finally  we 
came  upon  a  large  beautiful  room.  It  was  filled  with  danc- 
ing fairies  who  were  having  a  gay  time.  My  fairy  introduced 
me  to  some  of  the  fairies,  and  then  joined  in  the  merry  mak- 
ing. I  stood  and  looked  at  the  splendor  of  it  all,  when  sud- 
30  denly  I  heard  a  voice  calling  me,  and  I  looked  up. 

It  was  my  mother  who  said,  "  I  have  called  you  three 
times.     You  must  have  been  asleep." 

1  Composition  No.  19  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  85 

Merits 

The  spelling,  punctuation,  sentence  structure,  and  especially  the  para- 
graphing of  this  composition,  are  accurate.  The  story,  as  a  whole,  has 
action;  the  conversation  is  well  handled;  there  is  a  studious  effort  to  avoid 
repetitions,  as,  questioned,  asked,  answered,  said  (lines  8-12). 

Defects 

The  chief  defect  is  a  childish  use  of  tiresome  short  sentences.  The  verb 
forms  do  not  produce  action  enough.  In  line  23  quotation  marks  are 
omitted  before  Do,  and  there  should  be  a  hyphen  in  merry-making  (line  28). 

Comparison 

The  superior  paragraph  structure  of  this  theme  is  sufficient  to  place  it 
above  No.  3.  It  lacks  the  merit  seen  in  the  easy  and  spirited  conversation 
of  No.  i. 


86  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  3.    "C"  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  76.2% 
LOST  IN  THE  WOODS  OF  CONNECTICUT  1 

"  Who  's  going  blackberrying  to-day  ?  "  cried  my  cousin 
Margaret  waving  her  pail. 

"  I  am,"  I  said  coming  out  of  the  house  a  pail  in  one  hand 
and  a  wide  brimmed  hat  in  othe  other. 
5        "  Allright,"  answered  Margaret,  "  but  where's  Julia  ?  " 

"  Must  be  in  the  house,"  I  replied. 

We  soon  found  her  diligently  reading  a  book  and  after  some 
urging  she  decided  to  go. 

It  was  about  eight  o'clock  when  we  started  for  if  we 
10    waited  till  later  on  in  the  day  it  would  be  to  hot. 

We  walked  a  long  ways  to  the  other  end  of  the  farm  after 
climbing  stonewalls  and  having  several  encounters  with 
snakes. 

"  How  much  farther  do  we  have  to  go  ?  "  I  cried  growing 
15     impatient. 

"  The  other  side  of  this  field,"  Margaret  called  back. 

After  climbing  the  stonewall  we  came  in  sight  of  big 
stretches  of  blackberries. 

We  fell  to  work  right  away  and  picked  very  fast. 
20        In  a  little  while  we  stopped  and  found  we  had  worked  a 
good  ways.     As  we  went  on  the  berries  seemed  to  grow  big- 
ger and  sweeter. 

After  filling  my  pail  I  found  Margaret  was  through  long 
before  me  and  was  sitting  in  their  midst  eating.     We  waited 
25     till  Julia  was  through  and  then  started  for  home.     We  were 
so  busy  talking  Margaret  did  n't  notice  which  path  we  took 
and  after  walking  a  longs  ways  she  discovered  our  mistake. 
I  wanted  to  turn  back  and  go  the  way  we  came  but  she  said 
it  would  take  to  long  so  we  struck  out  into  the  woods.     The 
30    farther  we  went  the  more  perplexed  we  were  till  finally  Mar- 
garet sat  down  under  a  tree  in  despair. 

1  Composition  No.  22  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  87 

This  would  never  do  so  I  decided  to  climb  a  nearby  tree  to 
see  if  we  could  see  any  signs  of  a  house. 

With  much  pulling  and  tugging  I  got  up  the  tree  and  saw  a 
house  to  the  right.  We  reached  the  house  tired  and  hungry.  35 

We  were  lucky  to  come  to  come  to  such  a  place  for  the  mis- 
tress proved  to  be  very  good.  After  resting  one  of  the  hired 
men  drove  us  home  just  in  time  to  see  a  searching  party  going 
out  to  look  for  us  as  it  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon. 

Merits 

The  most  commendable  feature  of  this  narrative  is  the  management  of 
the  conversation.  This  is  accurately  punctuated  and  contains  a  variety 
in  the  verbs  of  saying.  Placed  at  the  beginning,  it  gives  an  element  of 
spontaneity  and  arouses  the  immediate  interest  of  the  reader.  There  are 
several  well-chosen  expressions  —  such  as  several  encounters  with  snakes, 
pulling  and  tugging,  and  in  despair.  The  arrangement  of  ideas  is  logical. 

Defects 

Except  for  the  incompatibility  between  the  content  and  the  title,  the 
defects  are  mechanical;  (i)  poor  paragraphing  except  in  the  conversation; 
(2)  the  unskillful  use  of  the  compound  sentence  in  the  sentences  beginning 
on  lines  7,  9,  25;  (3)  the  unemphatic  position  of  the  participial  phrase  in 
lines  12  and  13,  and  of  the  dependent  clause  in  the  last  sentence;  (4)  the 
absence  of  commas  after  introductory  clauses  and  phrases,  in  some  instances 
causing  an  ambiguity  of  meaning  as  hi  sentences  commencing  in  lines  21 
and  37;  (5)  the  grammatical  error  in  the  incoherent  reference  of  the  pro- 
noun their  in  line  24;  (6)  the  evident  carelessness  in  the  spelling  of  the,  all 
right  and  too  and  in  the  repetition  of  to  come  in  line  36;  and  (7)  the  poor 
choice  of  words  in  the  colloquial  nearby  and  in  the  repeated  use  of  long  ways. 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  superior  to  No.  4  in  its  maturity  of  thought  and  phrasing; 
it  is  inferior  to  No.  2  in  mechanical  form. 


88  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  4.    "  D  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  66.4% 
A  HAPPY  BUT  EXCITING  AFTERNOON  l 

Allen  had  just  gotten  a  new  motor-boat  for  his  birthday 
and  wanted  to  try  it  out  as  it  was  Saturday.  "  Well,"  he 
said,  "  will  you  come  with  me  Emily.  You  can  bring  Edna 
if  you  wish." 

5        "All  right,"  said  Emily,  and  off  she  went  to  get  Edna,  her 
cousin. 

They  started  out  at  Marblehead  and  was  going  to  go  as  far 
out  in  the  harbor  as  they  could. 

All  went  well  for  about  one  hour,  then  it  was  getting  rough. 
10    The  girls  got  frightened,  but,  they  had  more  to  be  frightened 
about  later,  the  propeller  broke  off.     All  there  was  to  do  was 
to  go  where  ever  the  waves  would  take  them. 

They  were  heading  for  open  sea.  "  Oh,"  said  Edna, "  how 
perfectly  horrible." 

15        "  I  'm  not  coming  out  in  this  motor-boat  again,"  said 
Emily. 

"  I  guess  you  won't,  Emily,  but  look,  here  comes  a  ferry- 
boat." 

So  it  was,  "  now  for  the  fun,"  said  Allen,  who  was  not  the 
20    least  bit  excited,  "  I  'm  going  to  call  their  attention." 

The  ship  came  nearer  and  nearer  to  them.  Soon  it  was 
within  reach  and  Allen  made  a  grab  for  it.  He  got  hold  of 
the  side  and  helped  the  girls  in.  Then  he  got  a  rope  and  tide 
it  to  the  motor-boat. 

25        "  Well,"  said  the  girls  to-gether,  "  we  will  never  go  in  a 
motor-boat  with  you  again. 

Merits 

The  merits  are  two:  (i)  the  child  had  a  fairly  well  planned  story  in  mind; 
(2)  he  has  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  use  of  quotation  marks. 

1  Composition  No.  14  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  89 


Defects 

The  defects  are  as  follows:  (i)  the  paragraphing  is  poor;  (2)  there  are 
several  examples  of  the  "  run-on  "  sentence  (lines  9,  n,  and  20);  (3)  the 
words  propeller,  wherever,  together,  and  tied  are  misspelled;  (4)  can  is  used 
in  line  3  instead  of  may,  (5)  in  line  7  there  is  a  singular  verb  used  with  a 
plural  subject;  (6)  there  are  errors  in  punctuation  (lines  3,  10,  14,  and  19); 
(7)  the  vocabulary  is  childish. 

Comparison 

This  theme  follows  No.  3  in  the  scale  because  of  the  inferior  development 
of  its  plot  and  the  greater  immaturity  of  its  expression. 


90  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  5.    "  E  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  56.0% 
A  GHOST  STORY  1 

"  Come  Joe,  run  faster  we  must  get  Harry  to  come  with  us 
and  we  have  but  few  minutes  to  do  it  in  if  we  want  to  get 
there  before  dark/'  said  John  as  he  leaped  a  fence  and  started 
toward  a  house  in  the  distance. 

5        Joe  jumped  the  fence  and  ran  after  John  as  fast  as  he  could 
in  order  to  catch  up  with  him  so  they  could  go  in  together. 

They  reached  the  house  all  out  of  breath. 

"  Hullo  boys!   where  are  you  going,  can  I  be  one  com- 
pany ?  "  were  the  series  of  questions  poured  forth  to  John  and 
10    Joe  as  they  entered  the  house. 

John  and  Joe  told  them  where  they  were  going,  and  Harry 
readly  consented  to  go. 

They  reached  the  house  and  ate  their  supper  and  went  to 
bed. 

1 5        They  were  not  asleep  long  when  Joe  woke  up  and  hollered 
for  John  and  Harry  to  come  to  him  because  he  saw  a  ghost. 

Harry  jumped  up  and  entered  the  room  in  which  Joe  was 
sleeping. 

"  Where  is  the  ghost,"  he  asked,  "  I  don't  see  any." 
20        He  is  gone  now,  said  Joe.     In  the  morning  they  thought 
they  would  investigate. 

They  found  it  was  only  a  white  post  and  a  white  sheet  be- 
hind it.  They  then  started  home  and  told  their  parents  about 
their  adventures. 

Merits 

The  writer  has  a  strong  and  dramatic  opening,  and  throughout  the  theme 
handles  his  dialogue  well.  His  sense  of  order  is  good  and  his  vocabulary 
adequate.  Such  expressions  as  the  series  of  questions  poured  forth  and  readily 
consented  are  good. 

Defects 

The  good  promise  of  the  beginning  is  not  fulfilled;  the  climax  is  not 
worked  up  successfully  and  the  whole  trails  off  into  a  pointless  incident.  The 

1  Composition  No.  6  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  91 

mechanical  errors  are  numerous;  almost  every  sentence  is  made  a  separate 
paragraph;  there  are  two  examples  of  the  "  run-on  "  sentence  (lines  i  and 
19);  there  are  several  comma  omissions  and  one  use  of  a  comma  where 
there  should  be  a  question  mark  (line  19) ;  there  is  an  error  in  tense  sequence 
(line  1 5) ;  the  words  of  the  are  omitted  in  line  8 ;  readily  is  misspelled  (line  1 2) . 

Comparison 

While  more  dramatic  than  No.  4,  the  theme  is  properly  placed  lower  on 
account  of  the  large  number  of  mechanical  errors  and  the  drooping  narrative 
interest. 


92  HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN 

No.  6.    "  F  "  GRADE  COMPOSITION.    VALUE,  46.9% 
LIFE  IN  A  CABIN  l 

In  a  woods  our  cabin  is  which  is  made  of  logs.  In  side  are 
two  rooms  furnished  with  rough  hand  made  furniture.  On 
the  wall  of  the  den  hung  skins  and  many  pictures. 

We  had  to  have  something  to  eat  so  we  had  to  find  a  river 
5     where  we  could  fish.     We  got  enough  fish  and  soon  they  were 
over  the  fire  frying. 

Next  day  an  Indian  came  with  some  meat.  We  gave  him  a 
few  coppers  had  he  was  real  pleased. 

"  Jingle  jingle,"  was  the  noise  out  side  as  the  horse  gal- 
10    loped.    It  was  cousen  Joe. 

"  Hurrah !  now  for  some  fun,"  I  cried.  "  Come  toboggan- 
ing ?  See  that  that  hill  over  there  well  its  great  toboggan- 
ing." 

"  Come  in,"  said  Joe,  "  till  I  get  my  moccasins  ?  " 
15        What  fun  we  had  many  tumbles  we  got.     Just  as  we  were 
going  home  we  saw  a  deer  laying  in  the  snow.     We  crept  up 
to  him  but  he  did  not  move.     Than  we  put  him  on  the  tobog- 
gan and  took  him  home.     He  was  cold  but  we  gave  him 
some  warm  milk  and  he  tryed  to  get  up,  But  he  could  not. 
20        "  Poor  thing  he  must  be  hurt,"  said  Joe.      "  His  leg  is 
broke  don't  you  see."     Then  we  bathed  his  leg  and  bound  it. 
Soon  he  was  able  to  stand  on  his  legs  and  became  a  house 
pet. 

"  Oh,  dear  its  snowing,"  said  Joe,  "  Lets  not  go  out  as  my 
25     snoweshoes  are  not  here." 

Merits 

The  merits  of  this  theme  are:  (i)  an  attempt  to  make  an  introductory 
paragraph;  (2)  the  introduction  of  conversation;  (3)  the  use  of  interrogative 
and  exclamatory  sentences;  (4)  the  simple  and  natural  language;  (5)  the 
orderly  sequence  of  points  in  the  story. 

1  Composition  No.  2  in  the  complete  set. 


HARVARD-NEWTON  BULLETIN  93 

Defects 

Though  well  begun,  after  the  first  paragraph  this  theme  is  simply  a  series 
of  disconnected  events  and  apparently  unrelated  statements,  (i)  Punctua- 
tion is  faulty;  (2)  sentences  are  badly  constructed  ;  (3)  the  meaning  in 
several  places  is  not  clear;  (4)  there  are  many  mechanical  errors,  such  as 
than  for  then',  broke  for  broken;  laying  for  lying;  had  for  and;  (5)  the 
apostrophe  is  omitted  in  contractions  ;  and  (6)  the  tense  changes  abruptly 
in  the  opening  paragraph. 

Comparison 

This  theme  is  inferior  to  No.  5  in  sentence  structure,  in  connected  arrange- 
ment of  material,  and  in  mechanical  accuracy. 


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